Reflection
First Meeting and Walking Tour Experience
Team disscussions at weekly consults
Briefing before conducting our interviews
Team receiving feedback from SHS on their ongoing findings and research
Team preparing for their project launch presentation
Team presenting their work, findings and recommendations at project launch
Team photo together with SHS Members and our supervisor, Shai
Being able to work with an actual organisation in producing a Market Research Report for SHS on Heritage-Themed Walking Tours was an exciting venture and one that saw us heading down to the streets to conduct surveys and interviews as part of our data collection, even during the fasting month of Ramadan.
The project was indeed a memorable one, especially when we exceeded our initial expectations on our set sample size for both the survey and interviews. With that being said, it also meant extrapolating a huge repository of data for our report, which I found quite fun analysing the data, but also charting them visually for the report.
Ultimately, working with my Arts Project group has been a great experience, and I have always enjoyed their company and their support throughout the project, and I'm glad we finished it strong till the very end!
Photo Credits: Shai, Sya and Rashad
Context and Problems
SHS is an independent voice for heritage conservation in Singapore, guided by the definition of heritage as "the living presence of the past". Pursuing research, public education and advocacy, SHS aims to rediscover forgotten histories, sustain living heritage conservation, promote cultural authenticity, vibrancy and audience engagement with heritage sites in Singapore. Currently, it faces the challenge of maintaining and enhancing engagement with both foreign and local participants in heritage programmes. For example, a conventional walking tour led by tour guides may no longer be an effective or appealing method to reach modern audiences.
SHS aims to engage students in research to assess the current effectiveness of guided walking tours to understand audience preferences for heritage engagement and explore innovative, non-conventional methods of presenting Singaporean history and culture. This research should provide SHS with insights into changing participant preferences to enhance future heritage-themed walking tour programmes and design new non-conventional tour offerings.
Key Goals and Objectives
The project aims to engage students in hands-on experiences, designing, developing, and implementing a project in close collaboration with SHS. It challenges students to address existing tasks that SHS is currently facing, designing an innovative solution that can enhance organisational development.
Project Deliverables and Output
By the end of the project, students should produce a Market Research Report on Heritage-Themed Walking Tours (around 10 pages) to analyse the attitudes of foreign visitors and locals towards guided walking tours and assess their preferences towards heritage-themed walking tours by conducting on-the-ground research, gathering feedback from tour participants. Additionally, the report should develop a strategic plan for implementing future heritage-themed walking tours by suggesting non-guided tour ideas and recommending guidelines for balancing guided and non-guided offerings.
Project Report
Testimonial
Singapore Heritage Society (SHS) had the pleasure of working with LASALLE Arts Management students to help us explore a pressing question in our field: are walking tours still relevant to future generations?
We were fortunate to partner with an exceptional group of students who demonstrated remarkable dedication throughout this project. Their approach to the research was thoughtful and methodical. They listened attentively to our concerns and hopes regarding the future of guided walking tours, incorporating our feedback at every stage.
Their findings were not only insightful but also practical and implementable. The care, attention, and genuine interest they showed in addressing SHS's challenges regarding guided walking tours demonstrated their commitment to heritage work.
This field may sometimes seem straightforward, but it requires significant dedication and nuance. We are extremely proud of these students and the quality of their work, so much so that SHS will be adopting and implementing their recommendations. Their professionalism extended to their interactions with our stakeholders, who noted how respectful and engaging the students were throughout the survey process.
We hope to continue our partnership with LASALLE on future projects, as this collaboration has proven to be valuable not only for SHS but for the broader conversation about preserving and sharing Singapore's heritage in meaningful ways.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS) for working with us on this Arts Project!
Very special thanks to my fellow teammates:
Afiqah Amir
Amirra Wardah
Daniel D’Souza
Khoo Jing Wen
Poo Pei Yi
Syahirah Afiqah
And a very, very special thanks to our supervisor, Shai, for his support throughout the project!
