The Nintendo Wii Experience

Having grown up with my brother, I’ve been introduced to practically all the game consoles that have ever existed. From the original Nintendo and Playstation consoles all the way up to the more modern Xbox 360 and GameCube consoles, I’ve experienced them all. With the advancement of technology, gaming industries continue to upgrade their systems and experiment with features such as size and capability, as evident with the Game Boy and Nintendo DS; but it doesn’t stop there. Each year, this market continues to awe us by pushing the boundaries of innovation and creativity. It is an industry that clearly understands what its consumers want and need, and it is able to address these factors through constant experimentation and improvement. By far, the most impressive and innovative gaming console to have been introduced is the Nintendo Wii, which is the topic I would like to address in my research paper.

It is without a doubt that the gaming industry is mainly geared towards the younger, male population. Most of my girl friends hardly ever play video games and only a handful of them actually own a game console. It’s not difficult to see that the concept of video gaming doesn’t appeal to this population as much as it does to their counterparts. However, I’ve noticed that females have been especially receptive to the Nintendo Wii and many have even purchased their own console. Another interesting find was during my office visit of a potential employer when saw the placement of a Nintendo Wii in the break room, which suggests that this console is also popular among the older and working population. Instantly, the questions popped into my head:

• What exactly about this invention makes it so different as to break through the standard?
• What features are the most appealing to consumers—the innovation, the interactiveness, the hands-on technology, the promotion of fitness, the collection of games?
• What does the Wii represent to consumers?    
• Does it represent different things to different people?
• Is it less popular among the younger, male population than for other populations? 
• How does the standard gaming population view this innovation?
• Is it still considered a video game console or does it belong in a market of its own?
• What unique experience does it provide to consumers? Basically, what is the Nintendo Wii experience?

I want to explore the total customer experience for the Nintendo Wii, from the idea of the Wii-mote to the games specifically tailored for the console. There must be something about this console that makes it special enough to tap into populations that are usually not targeted in this industry. I feel that this concept is especially interesting because it has been able to attract such a diverse group of people.

I also wonder—if this should happen to be just a short-term phenomenon--how long this frenzy is going to last. Concerns with childhood obesity and lack of fitness education are prominent in our modern-day society, which paves the way for innovations such as the Wii to thrive. But will America be concerned with these problems forever? Moreover, with the recent introductions of the Xbox Kinect and Sony Move—consoles centered on the same concept—the Wii could be facing huge threats. Considering these competitors is an invitation for further questions: could the introduction of too many similar consoles ruin the appeal for the Wii; was the Wii’s appeal solely attributed to being the first of its kind; what efforts can Nintendo make to protect its product and maintain its popularity? In order to answer these questions, I need to delve deeper and explore what the real appeal is behind the Wii.

This topic came to mind as I was reading an article on integrating technology with health. I am a big proponent of fitness and am really interested in learning about the role new innovations can play in improving people’s health. I think it’s a great idea to utilize the available technology to improve upon various aspects of society, especially with health being at the forefront our nation’s concerns. The Wii has stood out to me as one of the most creative ways to integrate fitness into a form of entertainment. Moreover, it also serves as an inspiration for people to lead healthier and more active lifestyles. Building upon this aspect, I would like to also explore what the future is for the Nintendo Wii. What other opportunities are available for this type of technology? How can we use this concept to address other problems? How can we move forward with this innovation? In a paper entitled Evaluating the Potential of the Nintendo Wii to Support Disabled Students in Education, research was conducted to determine the potential of the Wii to support learners with disabilities. Since the Nintendo Wii provides a more intuitive and realistic means of control and interaction, researchers found that it has large potential in an educational context, for instance, in the development of collaboration, communication and coordination. In another study, research found that the Wii has the ability to alleviate elderly depression as patients in hospitals and elder-care facilities use the console to "exergame". As stated in the Article, "many saw a significant improvement in their mental health-related quality of life and increased cognitive stimulation". With these findings, I'm ever more interested to see what other areas and context the use of video games will extend to.

 

One potential problem I can foresee involves finding a target population and persona. Since the Wii is so popular among a range of different age groups and personas, it would be difficult to focus on any specific  one. Keeping the topic generalized to the entire population, however, would be too broad for the scope of this assignment. To simplify the research analysis, I am considering focusing on my own age group, as I have many friends who can serve as potential subjects in my research. As I conduct my initial research, I'm already finding myself caught up with future technologies and advancements in the new generation of gaming consoles. I do want to explore the future possibilities in this area, but I would like to focus more on the opportunities and experiences presently afforded by the console and thoroughly define "The Nintendo Wii experience". Hopefully, continued research will yield more insight on this matter.

The Green Movement: What's Lacking?

I’ve always considered myself a proponent of the green movement and one who is fairly sensitive of the earth’s condition. I understand the numerous benefits associated with organic living including the fact that organic products are free of chemicals that are harmful to our bodies and that recycling cuts down on landfill waste. Moreover, I’m extremely concerned by the facts and findings that surface each day about the earth’s deterioration. A report conducted by the World Wildlife Fund states that humanity’s ecological footprint exceeds the Earth’s output by 25 percent, which means that we’ve been using more resources than the Earth can create for nearly two decades now. I’m sad to admit, however, that I am far from being the prime example of a true environmentalist. Sure, I recycle—when the bin is within my intended path. I ride my bike and take the bus—when I’m travelling short distances.  And I purchase organic items—when they’re on sale. Needless to say, my green initiatives are contingent on the basis of convenience.

This issue has been in my mind for a long time and I've always hesitated to tackle it head on. There’s a part of me who wants to become the ultimate tree-hugger who tailors her every habit to promote a greener society. I certainly do care about the world and I’m conscious of the things that I do to affect the environment around me. However, there is another part of me who is too overwhelmed by issue of global warming and hung up with the “drop in the bucket” phenomenon that I am unmotivated from changing my habits and choose, instead, to remain in the same state. I want to learn how to lead a green lifestyle, but it comes with so many factors—from transportation and food choice to purchasing habits and managing waste—that it often overwhelms me. I feel that if I can’t do all of these things, then any other small contribution is practically worthless. It’s also difficult to expend additional effort, money, and time to commit a green deed when there’s no apparent consequence that follows. The green movement requires the involvement of a great portion of the population in order to have any effective and lasting impact on the environment. One person’s efforts are practically futile if the society around her remains stagnant. I often find myself wondering why I should spend more money on green products when my neighbors are spending significantly less on the same conventional products.  I recently read in an article that organic produce and other foods can cost as much as 42 percent more than traditionally produced foods, and that organic cleaning products and beauty supplies can cost double their non-organic counterparts. As a college student who is still struggling to pay off her loans, I certainly cannot afford to pay these premiums for products that barely yield visible benefits.

So that is my take on the green movement and my selfish reasons for my own inactions. What I am now curious about are the stories of others within the same environment. I'm interested to know the reasons why other people do and don't choose to participate in the green movement. As it deals with purchasing behavior, I can imagine that many families continue to buy traditional products simply because they can't afford green ones. Still, I wonder whether these same people would change their habits if they were to experience a salary increase or had more disposable income. What this comes down to is whether this is really an issue of resource scarcity (lack of money and time) or if it can be attributed to mere laziness and carelessness. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to finally delve into this topic and thoroughly explore the following questions:

• If environmental sustainability is such a big concern in this day and age, why aren't more people participating in the green movement?
• How many people show concern for the condition of the earth?
• Does this correlate with the amount of effort that they are willing to expend in order to promote a green environment?
• What do people know and don't know about the condition of the environment?
• What are the most common green practices? Are these the ones that require the least amount of effort or are the most effective?
• What motivates people to practice green living? What practices would be more effective?
• How can we increase the motivation for others to practice green living?
• What are the drawbacks of going green? Why are people unmotivated to go green?

The potential problems I can expect to face with this topic include selecting a target persona, narrowing down the scope of such a broad category, and getting caught up in the specifics of each of the areas (initiatives, motives, sciences of green practices, problems, cost, opinions, etc.). Since the topic has already been discussed by many, I'm also afraid of running into problems of trying to find a new twist on it. I would hate to turn this assignment into a simple research paper on global warming and am striving to incorporate customer insight-related elements into the product. The main issues I would like to address are the motivations and reasoning behind people's actions--or lack thereof, rather. As someone who is also guilty of falling behind in the green movement, I'm interested in exploring the "why's" of the situation. I feel that this issue is fit for this assignment because as inhabitants of the earth and members of society, we are all essentially consumers of the resources around us. Knowing that the earth's destruction will negatively impact our standard of living, why aren't we, then, more willing to contribute to its sustainability? Environmental management and sustainability should be at the forefront of our concerns if the goal is to enhance our lives (our "customer experience"). These are the types of questions I intend to address; ideally, uncovering the true roots of the issue will help me to discover the most effective solutions.

I ran into a lot of issues during my initial research. I stumbled upon numerous websites and articles relating to green initiatives and general issues that people face when trying to go green, but I couldn't find anything more in-depth on the issue. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places. In any case, I was afraid of being limited by the available studies so I ended up dropping the idea and decided on another topic. If I happen to come across any more research on this issue, I will certainly give it a second thought. Until then, it's going to have to remain open-ended.

Travelling internationally with Asiana Airlines

The airline industry has transformed significantly over the years in terms of amenities offered during international flights. I can’t quite recall my first experience travelling internationally as I was merely a child; plagued with an unfortunate case of motion sickness, I was unable to enjoy the flight and had prayed for a quick landing instead. Fourteen years later and equipped with a better sense of appreciation for the services, however, I can say with utmost certainty that my experience this time around will never be forgotten.

Since I had a good month off for the winter break, my parents thought it would be a good idea to send my sister and I to Vietnam to revisit our relatives with whom we have not connected in over a decade. My sister recently graduated and I had only a semester left of school, so we decided to seize this opportunity to “vacation” before we begin our full-time careers. Again I practically had no recollection of our prior international trip, so I had no idea what was in store for me. My expectations were bounded solely by what I’ve experienced from a few domestic flights in recent years—a simple snack and drink, middle-aged airline attendants with less-than-pleasant attitudes, and free radio services for those who wish to purchase a set of headphones at an inflated price. As such, I had considered travelling a nightmare and was definitely dreading the 13-hour flight ahead of me. To my surprise, however, my experience was far more pleasant than I could have ever imagined.

The first thing that I noticed when I stepped onto the plane was the group of young ladies who greeted and helped me to my seat. Adorned in makeup and no older than 27 years old at most, these airline attendants were the most beautiful women I had ever seen, and their warm and cheerful attitudes certainly made the flight more bearable. I never hesitated to ask for an extra blanket, more snacks, or even for them to repeat the captain’s announcements. I waved when they walked by and gladly switched to water when they were out of orange juice. They even had my full attention during demonstration of safety procedures, a task that many attendants have difficulty accomplishing. The appeal of these airline attendants made me want to stay on the plane.  

The next things that stood out to me were the personal television sets on the back of each seat. Equipped with its very own remote, each TV set gave the passenger instant access to a wealth of entertainment. From over 50 channels of music and video games to the most recent blockbuster hits and hottest shows on television, the supply was enough to keep me preoccupied for the whole winter break. Therefore, it was more than sufficient for the duration of the flight. I was able to watch a few blockbuster hits for which I, as a college student on a budget and tight schedule, had neither the money nor time otherwise. I slept to some of my favorite classical pieces and even caught up on current events around the world through the on-demand news channels. I endured 13 hours on a plane as if I were in the comfort of my own living room. That’s how magical these TV sets were.  

The last amenity worthy of mentioning was, without a doubt, the delicious food. Now of course, when I say delicious, I mean it in relation to foods that I have been served on other flights on which I’ve been. Sure you can’t really compare a bag of peanuts to a full meal, but never would I have imagined receiving a meal of such high quality on a flight. The airline served a total of two meals and 2 snacks that ranged from authentic Korean cuisine to classic American favorites; we were usually given the option of choosing from the two alternatives. Our meals were complete with drinks, appetizers, entrées, and desserts, all of which never failed to satisfy our taste buds.

When I first stepped onto the plane, I expected nothing more than a comfortable seat, an adequate selection of radio stations, and a supply of moderately edible snacks. What I ended up getting, however, was so much more. I now look forward to travelling internationally.