| The Master's Degree Project, The Well-Informed Tourist - Enhancing the Visitor Experience at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, explores the unrealized potential in current technologies to improve the ways in which we spend our increasingly valuable leisure time in Canada's national parks.; Canada's national parks were selected as the context for this exploration because they represent an environment that is still relatively free of the information systems more common in the urban context, yet they are places where access to information is essential for their enjoyment and protection. An analysis of publicly available Parks Canada Agency documents provides an understanding of the operating context in which the parks operate and provides a grounded, realistic framework for the design phase of the MDP. Vancouver Island's Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is selected as the local context in which specific conditions are identified as design opportunities. A survey of contemporary wayfinding and public information systems in several countries presents a starting point from which to structure and engage the design process.; Findings are presented as the conceptual design of an interactive tool for use by park interpretive staff to provide park visitors the information to facilitate educational and enjoyable experiences. A large, touch sensitive display positioned facing up provides an immersive interactive work surface that enables users to work with electronic media using the same principles as when using paper. Personalized maps and information are printed on demand, providing relevant information to the visitors and visitor statistical data to the parks.; Key words. Information System Design, Interactive Interface, New Media, Parks Canada, Visitor Information, Tourism... |
