Short answer

Consider the language, narratives, and persuasive strategies used in communication around a product or service, as these can significantly shape user expectations and experiences.

Field: Classic Design
Source: The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioural Sciences (2020)
Method: Discursive analysis
Evidence: Moderate effect

The language and communication strategies employed in resort towns actively construct a desired user experience, influencing perceptions and behaviors through persuasive techniques and the creation of 'resort mythology'. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioural Sciences. Using Discursive analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Consider the language, narratives, and persuasive strategies used in communication around a product or service, as these can significantly shape user expectations and experiences.

Study

Classic DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Resort Town Discourse Shapes User Expectations Through Myth-Making and Persuasive Language

The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioural Sciences · 2020

Key Findings

01Resort discourse is shaped by historical social practices from the Soviet era.
02Communicative strategies employed by residents and vacationers include argumentative, regulatory, and nominative approaches.
03Methods of influencing vacationers are tied to the service sector's sales objectives.
04The creation of 'resort mythology' is used to persuade consumers.
05Specific nominations and language markers are characteristic of resort towns, sometimes revealing disrespectful attitudes.

Application

Design takeaway

Consider the language, narratives, and persuasive strategies used in communication around a product or service, as these can significantly shape user expectations and experiences.

How to apply

When designing marketing materials, user interfaces, or service protocols, analyze the existing language and narratives associated with the domain and consider how to employ similar or contrasting discursive strategies to achieve design goals.

Project actions

01When researching a product or service, pay attention to the language used in advertisements, reviews, and user forums.
02Consider how the 'story' or narrative around a product influences user perception.

Method & Evidence

AimHow do the discursive practices within Russian resort towns influence the perceived holiday experience and shape user expectations?

MethodDiscursive analysis

ProcedureThe research involved pragmatic analysis of communicative strategies, semiotic and stylistic analysis, and genre structure analysis of oral and written communication. Data sources included speech corpora, media texts, blogs, and direct recordings of daily speech in resort locations.

ContextRussian resort towns, particularly along the Black Sea coast.

Variables

IV["Discursive practices (communicative strategies, speech genres, linguistic peculiarities)","Historical social practices (Soviet era influences)"]

DV["Perceived holiday experience","User expectations","Consumer behavior"]

CV["Resort town context","Service sector sales objectives"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilizes a multi-method approach to discursive analysis.
+Draws on diverse data sources including corpora, media, and direct observation.

Limitations

The specific linguistic and cultural context of Russian resort towns might limit the direct applicability of findings to other regions or industries.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the findings depends on the consistency of the discursive patterns identified across the various data sources. Validity is supported by the triangulation of methods and data, though the subjective nature of interpreting discourse can introduce limitations.

Think critically

To what extent can 'myth-making' in design be considered ethical, especially when it aims to persuade consumers?

Design Principles

"Design communication should be intentionally crafted to align with or strategically challenge user expectations, utilizing persuasive language and narrative to achieve desired outcomes."

Understanding the underlying discursive practices in a service environment allows designers to anticipate and shape user expectations. This insight is crucial for creating environments and services that align with or intentionally diverge from established user perceptions, leading to more effective and resonant design outcomes.

What This Means for Your Design

The way people talk about and describe holiday places, like resorts, can actually change how people feel about their holiday and what they expect to get from it. They use special words and stories to make the place seem more appealing.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify analyzing the language and discourse surrounding a product or service in your design project's research phase.

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Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This study highlights how discursive practices, including the creation of 'resort mythology' and the use of specific communicative strategies, significantly shape user expectations and experiences within a given context. This suggests that designers should carefully consider the language, narratives, and persuasive techniques employed in their design communication to effectively influence user perception and engagement.

Source

The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Discursive Practices Of Russian Resort Towns

journal · 2020

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about resort town discourse shapes user expectations through myth-making and persuasive language?: Consider the language, narratives, and persuasive strategies used in communication around a product or service, as these can significantly shape user expectations and experiences. Evidence: The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioural Sciences (2020).
Why does "Resort Town Discourse Shapes User Expectations Through Myth-Making and Persuasive Language" matter for design?: Understanding the underlying discursive practices in a service environment allows designers to anticipate and shape user expectations. This insight is crucial for creating environments and services that align with or intentionally diverge from established user perceptions, leading to more effective and resonant design outcomes.
How can designers apply this research?: Consider the language, narratives, and persuasive strategies used in communication around a product or service, as these can significantly shape user expectations and experiences.
What were the main findings?: Resort discourse is shaped by historical social practices from the Soviet era.. Communicative strategies employed by residents and vacationers include argumentative, regulatory, and nominative approaches.. Methods of influencing vacationers are tied to the service sector's sales objectives.. The creation of 'resort mythology' is used to persuade consumers.
What research method was used?: Discursive analysis.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioural Sciences.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing marketing materials, user interfaces, or service protocols, analyze the existing language and narratives associated with the domain and consider how to employ similar or contrasting discursive strategies to achieve design goals.
What are the limitations?: The study focuses on Russian resort towns, and findings may not be directly transferable to all cultural or service contexts. The analysis of 'disrespectful attitudes' is subjective.