Experience Design
This class invites students to learn about human-centered, end-user focused, experience design. Students will learn how experiences are intentionally designed to shape emotions, behavior, choices, and create meaning and learning, in events, tourism, hospitality, recreation, and community settings. With excerpts from the text Designing Experiences (Rossman & Duerden), students will learn to gather end-user qualitative data, create a user persona, and apply positive psychology principles, map, and create intentional experiences to engage diverse audiences for desired, positive outcomes.
The readings and lectures draw from the Stanford. School/IDEO, Martin Seligman’s positive psychology, the Heath Brother’s Moments, Priya Parker’s the Art of Gathering, and include hands-on empathy maps, customer journey maps, and creating touchpoint templates.
Learn more about a degree/career in Experience Industry Management.
Learning Outcomes in this course
Use design thinking to empathize, ideate and prototype experiences.
Learn and practice brainstorming techniques to facilitate with others.
Create user personas and experience journey maps.
Identify and design touchpoints and transitions.
Communicate ideas through narrative storyboards and other visuals.
When
Session One
July 5 - July 17, 2026
Tuition
On-Campus Residential
$5,398 USD
Commuter
$2,998 USD
Proposed Activities
Utilize the Experience Design Lab to engage in ideation and rapid design prototyping.
Excursions will include visits to local businesses, where students will explore the guest journey and examine how it is envisioned and implemented to create a desired experience.
Instructor
Dr. Keri A. Schwab, Professor at Cal Poly SLO
Dr. Keri A. Schwab is a Professor in Cal Poly’s Experience Industry Management Department, where she teaches and mentors undergraduate students in experience design, event planning and management. Her research examines motivations, retention, and benefits associated with recreation participation.
