This study explores the application of Design Thinking in developing UNWIND, an interactive wall game designed to improve hotel amenities by combining art, play, and tourism. By employing the Design Thinking approaches that comprise the stages of “Empathize”, “Define”, “Ideate”, “Prototype”, and “Test”, this study demonstrates how guest-centric innovation can redefine hospitality experiences. During the early process, the needs and preferences of hotel guests were identified through empathy-driven research, leading to the design concept of multifunctional products that serve as a decorative art piece and an engaging, interactive game that 3-4 people can play. The ideation and prototyping phases focused on function, user experiences and unique features, resulting in UNWIND being interactive, fulfilling user needs, and educating users about Malaysian tourism landmarks. The findings suggest that employing design thinking can drive innovation in the hospitality industry, offering prospects for premium tourist items that blend function and engagement. UNWIND sets a new benchmark for hotel wall decoration, providing an interactive and transformative user experience beyond traditional amenities and enhancing hotel and guests' value proposition.
Isa et al. (Tue,) studied this question.