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Research paper : Evaluating the effects of actions taken to attract visitors to sightseeing areas (Y. Yamamoto)−196−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.5 No.3 (2012) The technology design of this project was generally entrusted to engineers (no technology pull happened). The proposed needs design would be implemented in various ways. Non-engineers could specify the implementation method by finding similar examples. However, it is necessary to understand the difficulty involved in each technology to find the best solution for cost reduction. This is very dependent on the engineers’ skills and capability. Therefore, this is considered to be high adherence. 5.2 Coordination of a contact point between users and engineersTo install needs design in a technology design framework, coordination is required. The contact point between needs push and technology pull from the user side and technology development from the engineering side has made a considerable impact on both technology design and needs design.As previously mentioned, trial productions and operations were reciprocally repeated by both users and engineering experts to achieve a better interface (usability on-site). This was repeated until the final configuration was installed. In cases where users are able to describe the needs push completely (to write down completely with specifications), this represents a needs push as well as a technology pull. When users have no idea about relevant technology design, the user’s need has to be realized in trial production and operation. Joint work is required to duplicate the same scenario to discover the problem, if any, and review solutions for improvement. Mutual interaction between users and engineers has made an impact on needs design and technology design. The following is a specific example. Operational interface at hotelsAt the initial stage, computerization of out-spa tickets was requested by concerned local entities; however, no request was made for an interface. We then expected that additional information, such as age-demographic data and so on would be input when issuing out-spa tickets at hotels. Data entry is important for the data analysis, and we considered that this would be feasible at Kinosaki hotels since such data entry is ordinarily performed at convenience stores by young and old people alike. However, no data entry interface was adopted for additional information. For instance, we created the system so that the out-spa ticket could be issued by reading the ticket barcode from a list of commands. We also designed the system so that the customer’s non-contact IC card, such as a mobile phone, is entitled to an out-spa ticket by simply touching the OSF-POS system at hotels. In the event that guests stay over more than two nights, the number of overnights is entered by barcode. A child’s ticket is issued by reading the [child ticket barcode] first. Due to the importance of the research function, we have tried to keep the data collection capability in the trial interface as much as possible, while simultaneously making efforts to simplify the operation. However, local people who were concerned asked us every time to make the operations much simpler. Many elderly people work as hotel clerks, and they experience anxiety when learning a new technology, such as the ticketing process at hotels. Though the proposed needs design was indefinite at first, this became concrete in the course of matching technology design and needs design. Needs design of out-spa ticketsThe OSF-POS system has a function to utilize mobile phones with credit functions or non-contact IC cards as IDs. However, the penetration rate of the above is not 100 %. Therefore, a method to print a barcode on a receipt must be adopted as well. A question then arose as to whether the printed out-spa ticket alone would function well enough. Fig. 5 Number of visitors to out-spa between 7:00–23:00 (accumulated total of December 2010)Fig. 6 Number of overnight guests by day (upper) and amount of sales by day (lower) in August 201102,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00023:0022:0021:0020:0019:0018:0017:0016:0015:0014:0013:0012:0011:0010:009:008:007:003130292827262524232221201918171615141312111098765432131302928272625242322212019181716151413121110987654321

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