TOOLS AND METHODS USED WITHIN DESIGN FOR EMOTION

The general well being of individuals is highly interrelated with emotional responses; emotions are inevitable in every activity in life. Naturally people experience emotions when they are interacting with products and they develop opinions accordingly. Recently, this is highly valued in product design, with a specific focus on the effects of user-product interactions on users’ emotions.

The increasing interest towards emotional dimensions of user product interaction requires special research methods. However, the multidimensionality of emotions, and their indefinite and highly personal nature can be regarded as a major limitation for studies in this field. Although attempts have been made to adopt theories of cognition, emotion and affect from other disciplines, the fact that the underlying theoretical framework is not developed brings limitations to its widespread applications in product design. Newly emerging empirical approaches, which utilize product experience analyses, are therefore vital for providing a background for more generally applicable methods.

This paper provides an overview of methods and tools used within design for emotion. The tools and methods are grouped and appraised in relation to the following two strands: generative tools and evaluative tools. The basic purposes of their use during new product development (NPD), and the form of information they provide, are also presented. Generative tools and methods comprise techniques that investigate users, contexts and product usage to derive generalized data and inspiration for design. They serve to decipher the main dynamics of emotional interactions people have with products. The investigations include understanding users, the contexts in which products are used and other effects on users’ emotional responses.

Evaluative tools and methods comprise techniques for evaluating existing products, product prototypes or product alternatives through the collection of user judgments. These in turn are used to understand design criteria and specifications that best fit users’ expectations. Evaluative tools essentially involve group classifications of emotions based on emotional theories, represented through words, graphics or pictures.

By reviewing existing work and presenting it within a united structure, the paper brings the following research benefits.

- Creation of a useful point of reference for the field of design for emotion.
- Complementary tools and methods developed by various authors are drawn together and presented so that their commonalties are identified.

Summaries and conclusions are drawn on the relevance of generative and evaluative tools and methods used within design for emotion during the various phases of NPD.