Book Reading #27 - Emotional Design (Mar 1)

Chapter 2: The Multiple Faces of Emotion and Design

Summary:

In this chapter, the author Donald Norman talks about three levels of emotional design:

• Visceral Level: This level deals with the attractiveness of the design, its appearance, look, touch and feel. Positive impact at this level triggers user creativity and curiosity, which is why attractive things are more effective.
• Behavioral Level: This level describes the functionality of the product. This is about the user experience with the product.
• Reflective Level:This is where memories, consciousness and highest levels of feelings reside. This level deals with the overall experience of using the product.

To explain these three levels, he does provide some examples like a video game than can be designed to look stylish and rugged for the young adult male games, should be available in feminine colors like pink in delicate looking packaging for girls, stylist and and decent looking for the kitchens as a cooking aid tool and rugged for the garage as training tool.

Discussion:

I think Norman's arguments and assertions were extremely convincing. The examples he provides make his claims even more convincing and interesting. I think it is very important for any designer to design a product taking into consideration all these three levels. Th product should be attractive looking, perform an important function and should create memories.