What's Your Grade: Using the 'new normal' to design a tool that could identify participant skill level within the adventure sport industry in rural Scotland

Sarah Morton

What's Your Grade: Using the 'new normal' to design a tool that could identify participant skill level within the adventure sport industry in rural Scotland

Sarah Morton

Division of Rural Health and Wellbeing

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

54 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Introduction
Takingadesign-ledapproachthispaperdiscusseshowthe dentificationandimplementationof
atool,whichcouldbeusedtoaccuratelyidentifyparticipantskilllevel,couldbenefitthe
adventuresportindustryinruralScotland.
Theemergenceofanexperienceeconomy,promotingexperiencesasmorevaluablethan
possessions,haspromptedanincreasedinterestedinbecomingaregularadventuresport
participant.
Beginnerlevelresources,suchascoursesandkit,arereasonablyaccessibleHowever,the
transitiontowardsnoviceparticipantappearstobeagreyerarea;whichlacksclarityforhow
onemightidentifytheirskilllevel,androuteforprogressionwithintheirchosenareaof
adventuresport.
Thisstudyusesdesignandknowledgeexchangetoexplorehowtodevelopanappropriate,
universallyfriendlytoolthatcouldbeimplementedwithintheadventuresportindustryinrural
Scotland;withtheaimofaccuratelyassessingparticipantskilllevel,inordertoretainand
increaseparticipantnumbers.
Methods
Interviews– withnoviceandexperiencedadventuresportparticipantsandadventuresport
providers.
NarrativeInquiry– withexperiencedandprofessionaladventuresportparticipants,exploring
self-modifiedpiecesofkitandthereasonformodification.
Auto-ethnographicApproach– takenfromauthor’sownexperienceofhavinglivedandworked
inthreeruralareas, allof whichrelyheavilyonanincomefromtheadventuresportindustryto
supportthelocaleconomy.
Findings
Theimportanceofbeingableto identifyparticipantskilllevelwithintheadventuresport
industryhasbecomeagrowingissueforbothparticipantsandproviders.Atpresent,there
seemstobenoclearanduniversaltoolormethodbywhichtoidentifyparticipantskilllevel–
participantsaregenerallyself-assessedorassessedincomparisontohisorherpeers.
Bothapproachesareriskyandhavelargescopeforerror– presentingtheopportunityforsafety
issues,butalsopossiblyalienatingpotentialparticipantsfromtheadventuresportindustry
purelybecausetheyhaveassessedthemselvesasbeingmorecompetentthantheyfactuallyare.
77
Noviceparticipantsreportalackofinformationthatcomesfromtrustedandreliablesources,
ratherthansimplyamatterofopinion.Thereisclearconfusionwhenattemptingtoaccess
resourcesincludingcourses,generalinformationandthepurchasingofkit.Additionally,an
intimidationofestablishedandexperienced participantsisreported,participantsexpressa
desireforasolutionthatmightovercomethisbarrier,withthepotentialtomaketheadventure
sportcommunitymoreopentothem.
Conclusion
Theidentificationofatoolormethodbywhichtoassessskilllevelwithintheadventuresport
industryinruralScotlandcouldproveusefulforbothparticipantsandproviders.Suchatool
wouldallowparticipantstoaccuratelyassesstheirskilllevel,thusembarkingonparticipation
witharealisticandgenuineawarenessoftheirneedsandwhattheymightbecapableof
achieving.
Thetoolwouldreduceembarrassmentandriskassociatedwithparticipatinginadventuresport
– benefitingbothparticipantsandpractitioners.Potentialparticipantscouldexperiencea
feelingofconfidence,andreducedintimidationwhenattemptingtobreakintotheadventure
sportcommunity,astheywouldbeapproachingexperiencedparticipantswithrealisticviewsof
whattheymightachieveasparticipants.Asaresult;thistoolcouldhelptoretain new
participants,andincrease overallparticipationnumbers.
Futuredevelopmentscouldbedirectedtowardsadventuresportretailoutlets– usingdesign
andthesametooltoidentifyhownoviceparticipantscouldapproachthepurchaseof
appropriateadventuresportkitandclothing.Thiswouldincreasetheknowledgeofboththe
retailassociatesandparticipants.Itcouldalsocontributeto industry-appropriatemarket
researchandintelligence,whichcouldbeappliedtothefuturedevelopmentofclothing,kitand
brandingconceptsfortheadventuresportindustry.

Original language	English
Pages	76-77
Number of pages	2
Publication status	Published - 20 Nov 2014
Event	International Adventure Conference 2016 - Norway, Sogndal, United Kingdom Duration: 24 Nov 2016 → 26 Nov 2016

Conference

Conference	International Adventure Conference 2016
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Sogndal
Period	24/11/16 → 26/11/16

Keywords

Design
Knowledge exchange
Community
Adventure sport
Co-design
Participation
Qualitative methods
Ethnography

Access to Document

S_Morton_76_77Accepted author manuscript, 147 KB

http://adventureconference2014.no/files/2014/12/IAC_BOA_rev_011214.pdf

Cite this

@conference{29cd4faaaa5f47a9b3e28f6c32723c84,

title = "What's Your Grade: Using the 'new normal' to design a tool that could identify participant skill level within the adventure sport industry in rural Scotland",

abstract = "IntroductionTakingadesign-ledapproachthispaperdiscusseshowthe dentificationandimplementationofatool,whichcouldbeusedtoaccuratelyidentifyparticipantskilllevel,couldbenefittheadventuresportindustryinruralScotland.Theemergenceofanexperienceeconomy,promotingexperiencesasmorevaluablethanpossessions,haspromptedanincreasedinterestedinbecomingaregularadventuresportparticipant.Beginnerlevelresources,suchascoursesandkit,arereasonablyaccessibleHowever,thetransitiontowardsnoviceparticipantappearstobeagreyerarea;whichlacksclarityforhowonemightidentifytheirskilllevel,androuteforprogressionwithintheirchosenareaofadventuresport.Thisstudyusesdesignandknowledgeexchangetoexplorehowtodevelopanappropriate,universallyfriendlytoolthatcouldbeimplementedwithintheadventuresportindustryinruralScotland;withtheaimofaccuratelyassessingparticipantskilllevel,inordertoretainandincreaseparticipantnumbers.MethodsInterviews– withnoviceandexperiencedadventuresportparticipantsandadventuresportproviders.NarrativeInquiry– withexperiencedandprofessionaladventuresportparticipants,exploringself-modifiedpiecesofkitandthereasonformodification.Auto-ethnographicApproach– takenfromauthor{\textquoteright}sownexperienceofhavinglivedandworkedinthreeruralareas, allof whichrelyheavilyonanincomefromtheadventuresportindustrytosupportthelocaleconomy.FindingsTheimportanceofbeingableto identifyparticipantskilllevelwithintheadventuresportindustryhasbecomeagrowingissueforbothparticipantsandproviders.Atpresent,thereseemstobenoclearanduniversaltoolormethodbywhichtoidentifyparticipantskilllevel–participantsaregenerallyself-assessedorassessedincomparisontohisorherpeers.Bothapproachesareriskyandhavelargescopeforerror– presentingtheopportunityforsafetyissues,butalsopossiblyalienatingpotentialparticipantsfromtheadventuresportindustrypurelybecausetheyhaveassessedthemselvesasbeingmorecompetentthantheyfactuallyare.77Noviceparticipantsreportalackofinformationthatcomesfromtrustedandreliablesources,ratherthansimplyamatterofopinion.Thereisclearconfusionwhenattemptingtoaccessresourcesincludingcourses,generalinformationandthepurchasingofkit.Additionally,anintimidationofestablishedandexperienced participantsisreported,participantsexpressadesireforasolutionthatmightovercomethisbarrier,withthepotentialtomaketheadventuresportcommunitymoreopentothem.ConclusionTheidentificationofatoolormethodbywhichtoassessskilllevelwithintheadventuresportindustryinruralScotlandcouldproveusefulforbothparticipantsandproviders.Suchatoolwouldallowparticipantstoaccuratelyassesstheirskilllevel,thusembarkingonparticipationwitharealisticandgenuineawarenessoftheirneedsandwhattheymightbecapableofachieving.Thetoolwouldreduceembarrassmentandriskassociatedwithparticipatinginadventuresport– benefitingbothparticipantsandpractitioners.Potentialparticipantscouldexperienceafeelingofconfidence,andreducedintimidationwhenattemptingtobreakintotheadventuresportcommunity,astheywouldbeapproachingexperiencedparticipantswithrealisticviewsofwhattheymightachieveasparticipants.Asaresult;thistoolcouldhelptoretain newparticipants,andincrease overallparticipationnumbers.Futuredevelopmentscouldbedirectedtowardsadventuresportretailoutlets– usingdesignandthesametooltoidentifyhownoviceparticipantscouldapproachthepurchaseofappropriateadventuresportkitandclothing.Thiswouldincreasetheknowledgeofboththeretailassociatesandparticipants.Itcouldalsocontributeto industry-appropriatemarketresearchandintelligence,whichcouldbeappliedtothefuturedevelopmentofclothing,kitandbrandingconceptsfortheadventuresportindustry.",

keywords = "Design, Knowledge exchange, Community, Adventure sport, Co-design, Participation, Qualitative methods, Ethnography",

author = "Sarah Morton",

note = "Research funded and supervised by University of Abertay; International Adventure Conference 2016 ; Conference date: 24-11-2016 Through 26-11-2016",

year = "2014",

month = nov,

day = "20",

language = "English",

pages = "76--77",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - What's Your Grade: Using the 'new normal' to design a tool that could identify participant skill level within the adventure sport industry in rural Scotland

AU - Morton, Sarah

N1 - Research funded and supervised by University of Abertay

PY - 2014/11/20

Y1 - 2014/11/20

N2 - IntroductionTakingadesign-ledapproachthispaperdiscusseshowthe dentificationandimplementationofatool,whichcouldbeusedtoaccuratelyidentifyparticipantskilllevel,couldbenefittheadventuresportindustryinruralScotland.Theemergenceofanexperienceeconomy,promotingexperiencesasmorevaluablethanpossessions,haspromptedanincreasedinterestedinbecomingaregularadventuresportparticipant.Beginnerlevelresources,suchascoursesandkit,arereasonablyaccessibleHowever,thetransitiontowardsnoviceparticipantappearstobeagreyerarea;whichlacksclarityforhowonemightidentifytheirskilllevel,androuteforprogressionwithintheirchosenareaofadventuresport.Thisstudyusesdesignandknowledgeexchangetoexplorehowtodevelopanappropriate,universallyfriendlytoolthatcouldbeimplementedwithintheadventuresportindustryinruralScotland;withtheaimofaccuratelyassessingparticipantskilllevel,inordertoretainandincreaseparticipantnumbers.MethodsInterviews– withnoviceandexperiencedadventuresportparticipantsandadventuresportproviders.NarrativeInquiry– withexperiencedandprofessionaladventuresportparticipants,exploringself-modifiedpiecesofkitandthereasonformodification.Auto-ethnographicApproach– takenfromauthor’sownexperienceofhavinglivedandworkedinthreeruralareas, allof whichrelyheavilyonanincomefromtheadventuresportindustrytosupportthelocaleconomy.FindingsTheimportanceofbeingableto identifyparticipantskilllevelwithintheadventuresportindustryhasbecomeagrowingissueforbothparticipantsandproviders.Atpresent,thereseemstobenoclearanduniversaltoolormethodbywhichtoidentifyparticipantskilllevel–participantsaregenerallyself-assessedorassessedincomparisontohisorherpeers.Bothapproachesareriskyandhavelargescopeforerror– presentingtheopportunityforsafetyissues,butalsopossiblyalienatingpotentialparticipantsfromtheadventuresportindustrypurelybecausetheyhaveassessedthemselvesasbeingmorecompetentthantheyfactuallyare.77Noviceparticipantsreportalackofinformationthatcomesfromtrustedandreliablesources,ratherthansimplyamatterofopinion.Thereisclearconfusionwhenattemptingtoaccessresourcesincludingcourses,generalinformationandthepurchasingofkit.Additionally,anintimidationofestablishedandexperienced participantsisreported,participantsexpressadesireforasolutionthatmightovercomethisbarrier,withthepotentialtomaketheadventuresportcommunitymoreopentothem.ConclusionTheidentificationofatoolormethodbywhichtoassessskilllevelwithintheadventuresportindustryinruralScotlandcouldproveusefulforbothparticipantsandproviders.Suchatoolwouldallowparticipantstoaccuratelyassesstheirskilllevel,thusembarkingonparticipationwitharealisticandgenuineawarenessoftheirneedsandwhattheymightbecapableofachieving.Thetoolwouldreduceembarrassmentandriskassociatedwithparticipatinginadventuresport– benefitingbothparticipantsandpractitioners.Potentialparticipantscouldexperienceafeelingofconfidence,andreducedintimidationwhenattemptingtobreakintotheadventuresportcommunity,astheywouldbeapproachingexperiencedparticipantswithrealisticviewsofwhattheymightachieveasparticipants.Asaresult;thistoolcouldhelptoretain newparticipants,andincrease overallparticipationnumbers.Futuredevelopmentscouldbedirectedtowardsadventuresportretailoutlets– usingdesignandthesametooltoidentifyhownoviceparticipantscouldapproachthepurchaseofappropriateadventuresportkitandclothing.Thiswouldincreasetheknowledgeofboththeretailassociatesandparticipants.Itcouldalsocontributeto industry-appropriatemarketresearchandintelligence,whichcouldbeappliedtothefuturedevelopmentofclothing,kitandbrandingconceptsfortheadventuresportindustry.

AB - IntroductionTakingadesign-ledapproachthispaperdiscusseshowthe dentificationandimplementationofatool,whichcouldbeusedtoaccuratelyidentifyparticipantskilllevel,couldbenefittheadventuresportindustryinruralScotland.Theemergenceofanexperienceeconomy,promotingexperiencesasmorevaluablethanpossessions,haspromptedanincreasedinterestedinbecomingaregularadventuresportparticipant.Beginnerlevelresources,suchascoursesandkit,arereasonablyaccessibleHowever,thetransitiontowardsnoviceparticipantappearstobeagreyerarea;whichlacksclarityforhowonemightidentifytheirskilllevel,androuteforprogressionwithintheirchosenareaofadventuresport.Thisstudyusesdesignandknowledgeexchangetoexplorehowtodevelopanappropriate,universallyfriendlytoolthatcouldbeimplementedwithintheadventuresportindustryinruralScotland;withtheaimofaccuratelyassessingparticipantskilllevel,inordertoretainandincreaseparticipantnumbers.MethodsInterviews– withnoviceandexperiencedadventuresportparticipantsandadventuresportproviders.NarrativeInquiry– withexperiencedandprofessionaladventuresportparticipants,exploringself-modifiedpiecesofkitandthereasonformodification.Auto-ethnographicApproach– takenfromauthor’sownexperienceofhavinglivedandworkedinthreeruralareas, allof whichrelyheavilyonanincomefromtheadventuresportindustrytosupportthelocaleconomy.FindingsTheimportanceofbeingableto identifyparticipantskilllevelwithintheadventuresportindustryhasbecomeagrowingissueforbothparticipantsandproviders.Atpresent,thereseemstobenoclearanduniversaltoolormethodbywhichtoidentifyparticipantskilllevel–participantsaregenerallyself-assessedorassessedincomparisontohisorherpeers.Bothapproachesareriskyandhavelargescopeforerror– presentingtheopportunityforsafetyissues,butalsopossiblyalienatingpotentialparticipantsfromtheadventuresportindustrypurelybecausetheyhaveassessedthemselvesasbeingmorecompetentthantheyfactuallyare.77Noviceparticipantsreportalackofinformationthatcomesfromtrustedandreliablesources,ratherthansimplyamatterofopinion.Thereisclearconfusionwhenattemptingtoaccessresourcesincludingcourses,generalinformationandthepurchasingofkit.Additionally,anintimidationofestablishedandexperienced participantsisreported,participantsexpressadesireforasolutionthatmightovercomethisbarrier,withthepotentialtomaketheadventuresportcommunitymoreopentothem.ConclusionTheidentificationofatoolormethodbywhichtoassessskilllevelwithintheadventuresportindustryinruralScotlandcouldproveusefulforbothparticipantsandproviders.Suchatoolwouldallowparticipantstoaccuratelyassesstheirskilllevel,thusembarkingonparticipationwitharealisticandgenuineawarenessoftheirneedsandwhattheymightbecapableofachieving.Thetoolwouldreduceembarrassmentandriskassociatedwithparticipatinginadventuresport– benefitingbothparticipantsandpractitioners.Potentialparticipantscouldexperienceafeelingofconfidence,andreducedintimidationwhenattemptingtobreakintotheadventuresportcommunity,astheywouldbeapproachingexperiencedparticipantswithrealisticviewsofwhattheymightachieveasparticipants.Asaresult;thistoolcouldhelptoretain newparticipants,andincrease overallparticipationnumbers.Futuredevelopmentscouldbedirectedtowardsadventuresportretailoutlets– usingdesignandthesametooltoidentifyhownoviceparticipantscouldapproachthepurchaseofappropriateadventuresportkitandclothing.Thiswouldincreasetheknowledgeofboththeretailassociatesandparticipants.Itcouldalsocontributeto industry-appropriatemarketresearchandintelligence,whichcouldbeappliedtothefuturedevelopmentofclothing,kitandbrandingconceptsfortheadventuresportindustry.

KW - Design

KW - Knowledge exchange

KW - Community

KW - Adventure sport

KW - Co-design

KW - Participation

KW - Qualitative methods

KW - Ethnography

M3 - Paper

SP - 76

EP - 77

T2 - International Adventure Conference 2016

Y2 - 24 November 2016 through 26 November 2016

ER -

What's Your Grade: Using the 'new normal' to design a tool that could identify participant skill level within the adventure sport industry in rural Scotland

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this