The overarching methodology employed in the project placed the end-users at the core of the design process, utilizing a cyclical and iterative approach encompassing the design, development, and evaluation of tool versions and experiences. This methodology began with the identification of user needs, considering both experience creators and potential tourists in traditional settlements. The implementation cycles for software development and experience production involved the following stages:
- Designing tools and experiences.
- Defining the software architecture and the interaction between its components.
- Developing the software and experiences, with a focus on formative evaluation.
- Conducting formative evaluations of the tools and experiences.
- Implementing software elements based on evaluation findings, gradually integrating them into the final
- versions of the tools.
- Further developing the experiences based on evaluation findings.
In practice, the software development cycles were more extensive, resulting in additional intermediate software versions beyond the specified intermediate and final versions in the work modules. To accommodate this, an Agile methodology was followed, involving continuous short cycles of specification, design, and development. This approach aimed to progressively expand the tools on a stable foundation and swiftly address integration issues among various software components, while minimising risks arising from problematic integration or inadequate communication among consortium members.
Alongside software development, the project leveraged user interaction results from piloting and evaluations to capture best practices and guidelines. These resources accompanied the produced tools and supported their usage, while also facilitating the development of new corresponding experiences by cultural operators, tourism companies, and other stakeholders.
