CONCEPTION OF FUN IN PRODUCT DESIGN AT DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Extensive studies in design field have led the researchers to focus on more personal and ephemeral concerns. Fun, as one of the dimensions of pleasure has become a hot topic within design and emotion discourse. The arousal conditions of fun such as provoking unusual perception, attracting, capturing attention, creating surprise and challenge, are mostly studied by researchers of human computer interaction (HCI). Although the literature on fun in relation to HCI is such extensive, inadequate emphasis has given for how fun can actually be employed and measured in product design context.

Fun is studied in very general terms in literature and its successful application into product design requires more specific data to be taken into consideration, for example, age differences, socio-economic groups, and gender. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the underlying dimensions of fun in consumer products and mainly focuses on arousal conditions of fun at different age groups. An empirical study was conducted to reveal users’ understanding of fun and the attributes of products that they associate as fun. Three age groups are identified for the study: 25-35; 35-45; and 45-55. In total, 30 participants (10 from each group) were interviewed. Interview questions intended to highlight participants’ understanding of fun in products. Accordingly, they were asked to describe fun, and to give examples of objects that they found to be fun. The keywords collected from the participants were analysed using content analysis method and then grouped under four subject headings. 

- visual (e.g. dimensions related to colour, form, material)
- functional (e.g. dimensions related to function, good functionality, multifunctionality)
- usability (e.g. dimensions related to ease of use, comfort, simplicity)
- contextual (e.g. dimensions related to the personal appraisal)

Cross comparisons between three age groups were made. The findings of the study revealed that main differences in the conception of fun at different age groups become much obvious when considering the following dimensions: challenge, ease of use, functionality, surprise, and relaxation.