A Poems-Based Analysis of Preserving the Lasem Heritage City Using a Design Thinking Approach

Abstract

Conventional Lasem  heritage city preservation strategies sometimes fail to encourage active community involvement, usually top-down and physically oriented. The implementation of the Design Thinking methodology aims to provide creative and sustainable solutions. The research was conducted by research team, representatives from the Lasem Heritage Foundation, local cultural activists, historians, local business owners (such as batik artisans), and urban dwellers. This study uses POEMS (People, Objects, Environments, Messages, Services) to develop user personas and How Might We (HMW) statements at the problem discovery stage and formulate the problem. These results show that there are a number of issues and possibilities related to public service rules, environmental conditions, cultural identity messages, the physical layout of goods, and community behavior. By placing communities as active participants, this empathy-based approach has demonstrated the ability to bridge the gap between  historical goals and current needs.