Experience design and the origins and aims of leisure studies: Shifting the focus from context to experience

Abstract

This article, adapted from the 2019 Butler Lecture at the NRPA National Research session, provides an overview of the origins, development, and potential future trajectory of the field of leisure research. Economic and societal trends of the last few decades may signal the need for the field to intentionally transition its focus on leisure as a context to leisure as an experience. More specifically the field needs to actively consider how insights gained from 60 years of research on leisure experiences can be applied to contexts beyond leisure. To illustrate the possibility of such a shift, lessons learned from transitioning a traditional recreation management department to a department of experience design and management are shared.