Team B"Li"fe of farming

Team Instructor / B.J. Hengeveld (Netherlands)

Facilitator / Mike Wu (Taiwan)

Team members / Jeong-Hyeon Kim (Korea)Gaku Komatsu (Japan)Yi-Ying Chen (Taiwan)Hsiung-Chieh Li (Taiwan)Ting Hsueh (Taiwan)

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unpredictable weather affecting the produce quality, the appearance of potential competitors, and other unknown variables.

Based on the above observations and analysis, the design team defined three main challenges faced by The Yanming Farm: 1) unclear brand positioning, 2) incomplete education platform, and 3) the remote location of The Yanming Farm and its lack of a clear guidance system.

On the other hand, The Yanming Farm’s core value includes high quality agricultural products and professional organic knowledge, a bold experimental spirit, and an emphasis of sharing organic farming knowledge through its Forest Classroom. The design team further developed these concepts and proposed design goals and ideas that are described as follows.

8　Background ExplorationThe design team started investigating the current conditions of The Yanming Farm and found out its strengths and weaknesses through a SWOT analysis. The Yanming Farm’s strengths are found in its high quality products, its ability to research and develop byproducts, and its interpersonal network for sharing environmentally-friendly farming. However, weaknesses also exist. There are the shortages of human and financial resources, and there is not any administrator responsible for service management and brand marketing. Furthermore, The Yanming Farm's opportunities are organic farming knowledge-sharing through education, providing safe agricultural products, co-creation with stakeholders and customers, and the creation of new business models. On the other hand, the threats include restrictions of government policies, the

Figure 37 The Yanming Farm logo concept design

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　Design DetailsFor brand positioning, the design team hoped The Yanming Farm could integrate the core values of Internet linking, a friendly environment, and sustainable development, and use "feel the earth, taste the soil" as the representational slogan. In addition, for the positioning of target customers, it can target its services towards local residents, tourists, and new farmers. The design of specific experience activities, besides utilizing the Internet platform and the direction balloon as the media for customer contact services and interaction with the environment, also includes experiential activities that promote high quality agricultural produce and organic farming methods, such as seedling experience, DIY tool kits for organic farming, and an interactive organic farming education app, etc. The information sharing platform will increase the exchange of organic farming knowledge and the promotion of agricultural products. With the establishment of this long- developing community organization, the goal of promoting the value of environmental sustainability can be achieved.

Take tourists as an example. The design project's implementation details will be explained through the three service phases (before, during, and

　Design Target PositioningIn order to resolve the challenges faced by The Yanming Farm, the design team proposed three stages of short, medium, and long-term goals. The short-term goal was to establish its own brand and define a clear brand value; the medium-term goal was to design a serialized and complete experience and to provide attractive activity content; the long-term goal was to cooperate and establish a community organization supporting environmental sustainability and expanding its range of influence. The design team hoped that complete brand management and serialized experience-based content could help The Yanming Farm's education promotion to operate more efficiently.

after) of the customer journey. Before beginning the service, travelers can see information about The Yanming Farm on travel websites. They can see the rich experience-based content on the official website and decide to drive over and visit. Then, when travelers are driving and looking for the farm, they will discover “direction balloons” to help them reach their destination quickly.

After arriving at the farm, travelers can enter the “service stage,” where travelers can rent bicycles and visit the farmland. Many balloon-shaped signs will show information about the produce in the fields, as a way to increase travelers’ connections with the farmlands. In addition, if the travelers decide to participate in the fun activities, such as a seedling experience or the snail basketball event, they will not only gain many rich rewards, but also help farmers get rid of harmful organisms through environmentally-friendly ways. At The Yanming Farm, tourists can also cook food with the farmers and share cooking techniques through the Internet, increasing the scope of interaction.

Figure 38 The prototype of Yanming Farm website

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After completing the services, the design team proposed three ideas for the experiences of the travelers after they leave. Idea 1: travelers can choose the local strawberry farm adoption service and continue observing the crop growing process through the Internet after they return home. Idea 2: through the use of The Yanming Farm DIY tool kit, travelers can continue enjoying the fun of farming after they return home. Idea 3: the travelers can send agricultural souvenirs to their family and friends. Receivers can download the interactive app “Talking Fruit” through the QR code on the souvenir’s packaging, so the agricultural products can “speak” through their mobile phones and give them knowledge about environmentally-friendly farming methods.If customers encounter any difficulties while planting, after returning home, they can find answers to their planting problems through the Internet platform. It can help beginners experience the fun of planting crops more smoothly and allow them to even share the vegetables and fruit they successfully plant with their family and friends.

In summary, the design concept of this team is mainly divided into three themes: 1) to establish a clear brand image and official website, and set up fun direction balloons at the farm to help customers get to know and come in contact with The Yanming Farm's brand and services; 2) to help customers enjoy high quality organic farming experiences and gain knowledge learning through various online and offline event designs; 3) to utilize Internet sharing as a tool to attract more potential customers. For these potential customers, they can discover the value of organic farming, start to purchase high quality and trustworthy organic agricultural products, and even begin their journeys as new farmers, drawing from their farming experiences with The Yanming Farm.

Figure 39 Various events and promotional methods