Designing for user experience in Nordic skiing

Abstract

Although the experience is the most important aspect of skiing, sports equipment manufacturers do not seem to take this into account in the development of skiing products. This paper examines how the sports industry can develop better products by focusing specifically on the user experience. Such a focus might Page: 1 lead to better experiences in winter sports. A user survey and a literature review were used as the main research methods. The results of the literature review were compared with the opinions and ideas of skiers. The findings revealed a disparity between the users’ and producers’ focus. Greater involvement of the user and the inclusion of the user experience in the design process could result in better ski equipment and better experiences. A set of design principles is proposed that can be used in the development of ski equipment