Design Thinking & Doing
Students choosing the Design Thinking & Doing minor work on projects addressing specific problems that need innovative and practical solutions. This can be products, services, experiences or processes. The projects are provided by external commissioners, such as regional organizations, businesses, entrepreneurs or municipalities. Beneath on overview of all projects we had in our Studio. From 2021 until now. Shortly a project description can be found and the outcomes are explained if you click on the project tile.
Spreading tourism across Reimerswaal - Zeeuwse overheden
The Tourism & Culture working group proposes developing Zeeland Heritage Routes and storylines to encourage exploration of the whole province. The core aims are to:
(1) distribute visitors more evenly across the region and calendar (2) attract high-quality cultural visitors
(3) strengthen residents’ quality of life and support for tourism.project
Young DCC - Sustainable Delta
In what way can Young DCC contribute to strengthening young people’s connection to Zeeland and their active role in climate adaptation and sustainable delta development?
project
Westerschelde Ferry -Rethinking Mobility
How might we increase the use of the Westerschelde Ferry during off-peak hours by developing meaningful solutions for regional mobility needs?
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Restore Festival – Impact and Storytelling
This project will address the challenge of helping visitors, volunteers, and partners understand and appreciate the festival’s sustainable choices, and of communicating these
in an inspiring way.
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Jong leren eten Zeeland - Healthy Food Environment
Exploring the opportunities and challenges in creating a healthy food environment in Zeeland for young adults (16-25 years old).
project
HZ Impact lab – Entrepreneurial mindset
How can we actively and sustainably engage students in the development of education in ways that are meaningful and motivating for them?
project
Festival EEF Family
How to bring families, tourists, refugees and inhabitants together within one unique festival EEF FAMILY that focusses on art, culture and music?
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Entrepreneurial association – promoting a healthy destination
Domburg is one of Zeeland’s best-known coastal destinations. It holds the exclusive “Bathing Status”, a European quality label awarded only to places that meet high standards for wellness, air quality, sustainability, and environmental health. The questions is: How to highlight Domburg’s wellness value, connect with new audiences, and support the “Bathing Status” values?
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Climate proof leisure sector SME’s Zeeland
How can we effectively engage and activate SMEs in the Zeeland leisure sector to adopt more sustainable practices that go beyond short-term financial gains?
project
Kenniscentrum Kusttoerisme - Database tourism accomodation in Zeeland
Maintaining an up-to-date database of tourism accommodations in Zeeland is crucial for research and policymaking. However, the current database we have now is outdated, and the process of updating it is inefficient and time-consuming (see: Aanbod - Projectenportfolio).
This raises the question: How can we design a more effective and sustainable system for managing and visualizing tourism data?
project
Protein Delta Zeeland - Integrating marine proteins in diets
Marine proteins are a sustainable alternative to land-based animal proteins but face consumer acceptance challenges. This project explores strategies to integrate them into diets
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Impuls Zeeland - Encouraging energy savings for SMEs in Zeeland
Many SMEs in Zeeland do not prioritize energy saving despite its financial and sustainability benefits. Most focus on grid congestion and electrification rather than reducing consumption. This study aims to identify barriers and needs, providing insights for targeted support, policy recommendations, and practical tools. The project contributes to sustainability goals, including CO₂ reduction and efficient energy use, supporting SDG.
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Gemeente Vlissingen - Shaping Vlissingen as a student city
This project explores Vlissingen’s image among (potential) students, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, and unique selling points (USPs).
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Gemeente Middelburg - Involving Middelburg in green initiatives
Many residents show little interest in sustainability, limiting participation in green initiatives and subsidy use. This project explores effective communication strategies to increase awareness and involvement. The goal is to develop a practical solution, such as a campaign or neighborhood activity, to better engage residents.
project
Voedselbank Walcheren - Boosting support and donations
The project explored how Voedselbank Walcheren is perceived locally, aiming to boost support and engagement. Key findings suggest reducing stigma and involving young people could improve awareness, increase donations, and create a more welcoming, connected community.
project
De Zeeuwse Wens ambulance - Ethical and cultural insights on death discussions
This project explores how different people use the Wish Ambulance, aiming to make the service more accessible and help start conversations about death. It examines ethical, religious, psychological, and cultural perspectives on death across the lifespan.
project
Bicycle congestion Renesse - Bike parking issue in Renesse
Renesse faces bike parking issues due to rising cycling tourism and limited capacity during peak seasons. Poorly parked bikes cause safety risks and frustrate local businesses. Solutions include better infrastructure, clear regulations, and smart tech to improve organization and support sustainable tourism.
project
Stichting Strandexploitatie Veere - Building a greener future
SSV aims to make the beaches of Veere and Vlissingen sustainable by adopting electric vehicles, engaging volunteers for beach clean ups, and promoting environmental awareness through educational workshops. Their goal is to reduce CO2 emissions and become neutral by 2030 while ensuring the beaches remain safe and enjoyable.
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Provincie Zeeland - Promoting smart mobility with e-bike sharing app
To support smart mobility in Zeeland, a shared e-bike app is proposed for students and residents. It aims to reduce traffic, cut emissions, and improve accessibility, contributing to sustainable development and a better quality of life.
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Pennywafelhuis Middelburg - Securing the future of Pennywafelhuis
Pennywafelhuis, a free community art initiative in Middelburg, needs a new leader as the current ones plan to retire. The team proposed steps to secure its future, including a job posting, gradual leadership transition, and a future plan with ideas for sustainable growth.
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PFAS awareness - Reducing PFAS consumption
The MVI Platform aims to integrate sustainability into procurement strategies. To address PFAS consumption in Zeeland, the project proposes online and offline campaigns, a PFAS-free product list, and a logo to raise awareness and reduce PFAS usage, promoting regional sustainability.
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Mobility Makers - Innovating daily mobility in Vlissingen Kenniswerf
The Mobility Makers project addresses sustainable mobility challenges in Vlissingen’s Kenniswerf by creating six personas and developing solutions like community workshops and rewards to encourage greener daily mobility practices.
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Ice skatinghal Goes - Assessing ROI and sustainability for a leisure hall
The client wants to be a part of the creation of a big leisure hall, consisting of ice skating, bouldering, indoor surfing and gym. As he already overtook most of the obstacles for the past 5 years, there are still plenty of challenges. The challenge now is to find the ROI for the investors and to assess the impact on the region in terms of sustainability.
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Food, Business and Innovation HZ - Defining target personas for FBI recruitment
To boost enrollment in the FBI program, three target personas in hospitality, food retail, and restaurants were developed. Creative marketing ideas, like a food tasting event, were proposed to attract more students by Fall 2024.
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Biobased Building - Making biobased information accessible
This project addresses the lack of accessible information on biobased construction materials. To overcome industry resistance and misconceptions, the team proposed creating an information package, awareness survey, and promotional materials to boost understanding and encourage sustainable building practices.
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Westerschelde Ferry - Sustainable shopping on board
The Westerschelde Ferry aims to transform from a simple transportation service to an experience. A proposal includes creating a gift shop with locally made sustainable products, enhancing customer satisfaction through gamification, improved signage, better food options, and partnerships with NS.
project
Zeeuws Klimaatfonds - Boosting ZKF's visibility and communication
Zeeuws Klimaatfonds (ZKF) faces communication challenges and limited public awareness. Proposed solutions include surveys for feedback, creating a partnership sticker, publishing ZKF achievements in local media, and using LinkedIn and Facebook for broader visibility.
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VOM Vereniging Ondernemers Middelburg - Storage solutions for tourist
The project addresses the challenge of tourists in Middelburg needing a place to store large purchases and luggage. Proposed solutions include a storage hub with various locker sizes, smart lockers connected to a mobile app, and promoting the service through partnerships and marketing.
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Het Groene Strand - Volunteer community
Het Groene Strand aims to protect Dutch beaches and ecosystems, relying on volunteers. To address gaps in engagement, proposed solutions include QR codes at beaches for awareness, a WhatsApp community for improved communication, and partnerships with universities to encourage student participation.
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Gemeente Goes - Healthy lakes for a livable Goes
The Municipality of Goes is addressing harmful algal blooms in local lakes caused by high temperatures. Proposed solutions include community clean-ups to raise awareness and an emergency protocol for quick responses to water quality issues, ensuring the lakes remain safe and accessible for recreation.
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Camping de Paardenkreek - Boosting bookings for sustainable Dijksuites
Camping de Paardenkreek offers several places to stay, however the Dijksuites (one of the options to book as a stay) are not booked frequently enough. The challenge is to increase the occupancy rate with the target group while increasing awareness for sustainability in the Paardenkreek.
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Yacht Marina Vlissingen - Attracting guests to VVWD De Schelde Marina
VVW De Schelde, Marina harbour, faces the challenge of attracting recurring guests and what to encourage longer stays. Additionally, the city center of Vlissingen requires increased foot traffic and engagement for the harbour in order to thrive and attract more visitors.
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Surf & Durf - Volunteer community
Surf & Durf, a foundation offering surf therapy for vulnerable youth, struggles to meet demand and find volunteers. A key solution is partnering with HZ University, allowing students to earn credits through volunteering, with further strategies suggested to attract more volunteers and expand their impact in Domburg, Scheveningen, and Katwijk.
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Minicamping de Boogaard Zoutelande - Using storytelling to promote sustainability
Due to the campsite Boogaard having a rich history of their fields and how the campsite came to be, the campsite is looking for ways to implement storytelling to share with the guests the campsites authentic origin.With the aim of enriching the experience of the guests and sharing the history of it.
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FYLM - Promoting mental stimulation for the elderly
FYLM aims to create an online platform for elderly individuals to engage in games and activities promoting socialization and mental stimulation. The platform will incorporate features that enhance social interaction, including mentorship programs and virtual volunteering, while addressing the unique needs of seniors online.
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Da Vinci Cinema Goes - Enhancing the cinema’s B2B strategy
The Cinema wants to maximize its B2B potential and optimize its space utilization. The challenge was to assist the cinema in developing strategies to attract corporate clients, expand its customer base, and enhance the overall experience for all stakeholders.
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CBK Zeeland - Engaging Middelburg’s students with local stories
CBK challenged the students by asking how they could create an engaging experience for the student population in Middelburg, using Middelburg stories to foster a lasting attachment to the city and region of their education in Zeeland, thereby motivating them to stay or consider returning in the future.
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Yerseke tourist info - Attracting a younger audience to Yerseke
This project aims to attract a younger audience to Yerseke by enhancing its appeal with sustainable tourism. Suggestions include making Yerseke Moer more interactive for families, combining food tourism with cultural experiences, offering cooking sessions, and reviving or creating festivals to draw visitors year-round.
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Schaatshal Goes - Incorporating sustainability in the ice-skating hall
This project focuses on incorporating sustainability into the design and construction of an ice-skating rink in Goes. Through desk research, students explored eco-friendly construction methods, materials, global emission calculations, and rainwater capture. The report also covered sustainable practices like using recycled materials, mass timber, and composting.
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Polar Cruise – Oceanwide - Navigating sustainability and regulations
Oceanwide, a sustainable cruise company, faces challenges with changing regulations and maintaining passenger experiences. Research identified sustainable innovations, including noise reduction technologies and future solutions like garbage compactors and rotor sails.
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Klok'uus - Identifying market opportunities
Because Klok’uus has such a broad target market they notice they are beginning to lose focus during the operational part of the business. They want to change this, be future proof and adapt to the market. In order to make the necessary and correct decisions they need a clear research identifying the opportunities in their different target markets.
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Het Groene Strand - Bring Nature Back
Het Groene Strand seeks to restore beach biodiversity by reducing intensive management and raising awareness. A brochure was created to guide local businesses, but further research is needed on how to effectively engage them and distribute the materials.
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Gastronology - Developing sustainable 3D-printed food
This project focuses on developing sustainable production and storage methods for 3D-printed food for individuals with dysphagia. Research suggests that portion control can reduce food waste, and packaging options like recycled cardboard and flexible paper are ideal for sustainability. Further research is needed for freezing options without compromising quality.
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Entrepreneurial promotion – Sluis - Exploring social media impact on Sluis Tourism
This project analyzes how local businesses in Sluis promote the region through social media. While many businesses support regional promotion, few actively use social media for it. Larger businesses contribute through other means, like magazines or flyers. The findings suggest a need for better guidance to help entrepreneurs effectively collaborate and promote the region online.
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Electric Mobility – Scoot-E - Increasing e-scooter adoption in Zeeland
This project explores the low adoption of e-scooters in Zeeland, identifying barriers like lack of charging stations and low awareness. To boost adoption, solutions include improving infrastructure, offering financial incentives, and increasing public education. Additionally, potential B2B partnerships were found with delivery businesses and companies requiring frequent employee travel.
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Delphy – Sweet Potato - Boosting demand for Dutch sweet potatoes
Dutch sweet potatoes face challenges in competing with cheaper, imported varieties. Research reveals that food processors and consumers prioritize price and quality, while retailers avoid stocking local varieties due to higher costs. To increase demand, Dutch sweet potatoes need better marketing, competitive pricing, and improved accessibility.
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City Marketing Vlissingen - Retaining young students in Vlissingen
The goal of the research for the municipality of Vlissingen is to determine the reason why students study in Vlissingen and how to make them stay after their studies. It is desirable for the city to bind more young professionals to the city because they help to develop Vlissingen into a twenty-first-century society.
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Vekabo - Private sanitary facilities at mini campsites
The study explored whether COVID-19 increased demand for private sanitary facilities at campsites. Results showed a growing interest, with many campers preferring private facilities, though affordability is key. A sustainable concept, "Hobbit Hills," was proposed, featuring earth-sheltered units with natural temperature control and green energy features. The study suggests campsite owners could attract more guests with this concept, but should avoid high price increases and consider space limitations.
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Nudging for sustainable meaning
The survey of 19 respondents revealed that while most individuals feel responsible for practicing sustainability and actively engage in sustainable behaviors, their actual travel choices often prioritize price, location, and reviews over sustainability. There is a clear attitude-behavior gap, as many consumers express a desire for sustainable options but are reluctant to pay more or change their habits when traveling. Despite this, there is an expectation for businesses to adopt transparent and proactive sustainability practices, especially in waste management, local sourcing, and reducing environmental impact.
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Hospitality Pact- Paths to higher education or the workforce
This research aimed to explore why MBO 4 students in Tourism & Recreation/Hospitality decide to pursue higher education or join the workforce. Despite low survey responses, the project provides useful insights into student motivations and suggests ways to improve future data collection.
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Het Vijfde Casisson & Watersnoodmuseum
The student team developed three customized 24-hour packages for youth, seniors, and families, combining museum visits, tours, local food, and overnight stays. A pilot event and follow-up survey showed strong interest—especially among young people—and confirmed willingness to pay for immersive, themed experiences.
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Food Tour Zeeland - a culinary journey through history, sustainability, and local flavors
The Zeeland Food Tour project was created in partnership with the Watersnoodmuseum to develop a unique culinary experience on Schouwen-Duiveland. Combining local food, forgotten vegetables, and Augmented Reality storytelling, the tour offers visitors a 35 km journey through regional history, culture,
and sustainability. It’s designed for various age groups and supported by a clear marketing strategy and local collaborations.
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Customery Journey - Enhancing customer experience on Noord Beveland
In 2021, Tourism Management students from Hogeschool Zeeland conducted research to map the customer journey of visitors to Noord-Beveland, Zeeland. They focused on families and 60+ travelers, using surveys and field visits to identify key experiences. The findings helped create detailed personas and customer journeys, offering insights for improving the island’s tourism strategy
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