Experience design is artful storytelling – where every moment feels intentional, intuitive, and meaningful. As a UX Strategist at HOL, my role is to define the story we need to tell, why it matters to visitors, and how we should design the experience so they get the most out of it.
When it comes to visitor experience design for attractions in Singapore, whether we are designing an immersive exhibition or an interactive trail such as the digital trail at the Esplanade, applying the right strategy is always key. In fact, our work seldom, if ever, begins with design. Instead, we start with asking the right questions about the purpose, the people, and the place.
What this Article Covers
- Core function of a UX Strategist
- How strategy shapes visitor experience design for attractions in Singapore
- Why defining the right problem is key
- Tips for aspiring UX Strategists
The Power of Defining the Right Problem
Designing a beautiful exhibit or an interactive space is just one aspect of the work we strive to deliver. Before we even start the design process, we always first define the problem at hand. That is where my work as a UX Strategist begins.
When we worked on the Sandbox Experience at the Singapore Discovery Centre, visitors were asked to envision the future of Singapore. My job was to shape the story that would lead them there. Besides conducting interviews, journey mapping, and iterative workshops, we were able to identify an opportunity to turn abstract national values into relatable, everyday actions for the visitors.
The entire process allowed me to show how a shift in framing can help us deliver much stronger and memorable experiences. We transformed the gallery from an information hub into a meaningful call to action – helping visitors see themselves as protagonists and even changemakers in Singapore’s future. This is the approach that sits at the heart of many visitor experience designs for attractions in Singapore – where an experience is made so much more memorable because visitor found personal relevance in the storytelling.
Strategy Guides Storytelling in Spaces
As an interpretive design consultancy, we always strive to balance content, context, and user needs. To ensure that storytelling flows cohesively across every medium and moment, UX Strategists must work in close collaboration with corporate museum design consultants in order to curate memorable public art exhibitions.
We ask:
- What is the emotional journey? What are the emotions we would like to evoke in our visitors?
- What actions do we want the visitor to take?
- Which moments should feel exciting, reflective, or interactive?
Why is UX strategy necessary when we can save time and dive straight into the design process? Experience has taught me that a solid UX strategy is especially critical in immersive exhibition design in Singapore. Our audiences are not only diverse and sophisticated, their expectations run high and are ever evolving.
At the National Gallery Singapore, we helped shape gamified, mobile-led micro-experiences. My role in the project was to define how each interaction supported the overarching exhibition narratives – ensuring that the experiences remained inclusive, engaging, and easy to navigate.
How Should You Approach Visitor Experience Design for Attractions in Singapore?
- Be an empty cup. Let curiosity – not assumptions – guide the process.
- Collaborate early. Strategy isn’t created in a vacuum. At HOL, we co-create with researchers, writers, designers, and technologists every day.
- Listen deeply. Good strategy begins with listening – to understand people, spaces, and purpose accurately.
- Balance empathy with structure. Insight without structure weakens the outcome. Translate empathy into action by defining clear goals.
The most effective UX Strategists don’t just understand users – they understand how physical spaces can shape behaviours. Therefore, an understanding of spatial design and how people interact with spaces is invaluable in my work.
Visitor Experience Design for Attractions in Singapore: Why UX Strategy is the Pulse Behind the Magic
A clear strategy is the foundation of our work. Without one, even the most impressive technology or compelling narrative can feel disjointed or hollow. UX Strategists endeavour to keep the experience cohesive by ensuring that the story, interface, and interactions are aligned.
From award-winning digital trail projects like the Esplanade to immersive exhibition design in Singapore, our work ensures that each decision – whether visual, verbal, or interactive – adds up to something greater.
Whether you are planning visitor experience design for attractions in Singapore, a museum exhibition design, or a placemaking strategy for tourist spaces, start by asking:
What’s the story we are telling and why should people care?
Want to uncover the story behind your space? Get in touch and learn how our UX strategy can help you shape truly purposeful design.
Design with Purpose. Engage with Impact. Talk to us about shaping unforgettable visitor experiences through UX strategy.