Emotional
Design refers to designing products and services in a way that they exhibit
certain personalities and values. A product can't be just keys and software, it
needs to be more than that. More than what our conscious looks and feels. It
needs to dig deeper into our subconscious where the actual value of the product
is determined.
Human beings
tend to get attracted towards what they find relatable and automatically
develop a connection with the object. This generates a sense of belonging and
they tend to claim the object.
This is
exactly how emotional design works!
It accelerates the user's personal experience
with the product (it can be a service or an interaction also). The potential
market of a product is based on how impactful it is in terms of its functions
and usage. The whole idea is to enhance the value of the product by not just
it's functionality but also usability and desirability.
A product
must provide a positive experience to the user throughout its interactive
journey. And while you're designing you need to look for the connections that
can be developed between the product and the user. A product that has certain
characteristics reflecting appropriate emotions tend to get off the shelf
rather fast than those which don't. For most of it, the connection should be
assertive so as to induce a sense of desirability for the product.
It lies in
the cognitive behaviour of the humans that when they see a product that looks
beautiful, it generates a positive influence on their mind. This positive influence
leads to high chances of the product being approached for a hands-on experience
because the person then starts thinking about the product and wishes to own it.
A fluid interaction between the user and the product further stimulates the
desirability to own the product.
Likewise, if
a product generates a sense of fear or anger, the user will never buy it
because it created a negative impact on him.
People are seeking
out products that are not just simple to use but a joy to use. — Bruce Claxton, Professor, Design
Management at Savannah College of Art and Design.
In his book 'Emotional Design', Don Norman defines the emotional connection in three levels.
According to
him, there are three levels of emotional connection, Visceral, Behavioural and
Reflective.
“Design is
really an act of communication, which means having a deep understanding of the
person with whom the designer is communicating.”–Donald A.
Norman, The Design of Everyday Things
Visceral Emotional Connection:
The first
reaction that the product stimulates for itself creates a string of connection
with the product. It is achieved by the aesthetical appearance of the product.
The look and feel overall sets the mood that helps determine the perceived
quality of the product. This relationship compels the user to explore more
about the product.
The visceral
connection is achieved by the marketing and endorsement of the product. Also, a
good-looking design attracts users towards itself which increases the chances
of purchase.
Behavioural Emotional Connection:
Once you
start using some product you look for how smoothly it responds to the actions
you want to perform and what additional features make it smarter.
The
behavioural connection is the reaction to the interactions with the product. It
depends upon the usability of the product and how smoothly it performs the
desired functions.
Behavioural emotional design is to take in
concern the exhibited value through performance of the desired functions.
A basic design is
always functional but a great one will also say something. - Tinker Hatfield, shoe designer, Nike.
Reflective
Emotional Connection:
Reflective
emotional connection is the feeling of satisfaction or despair that develops
after experiencing a product. It is how the user remembers the experience and
what value he derives from it. A positive reflective emotional design somewhere
starts reflecting the user's own personality and he takes pride in owning the
product.
It
cultivates a sense of ownership and increases the probability of a repeated
purchase.
(This article is the view of the writer.)
