Written by Fang, 2021 Cohort
Cognitive psychologist Donald Arthur Norman divided emotional design into three levels in his book “Emotional Design”: visceral, behavioral and reflective.
The so-called visceral level means the appearance of the product gives people sensory stimulation. For instance, if a game is gorgeous in graphics, people are easily attracted. The behavioral level refers to the user’s operating experience when using the product. For example, players acquire a sense of accomplishment and refreshment by learning and mastering skills when playing games, and using skills to solve problems. The reflective level refers to the product’s psychological feeling and images in users’ mind, which explains why many people would buy mediocre and useless luxury goods, because possessing them can embody their self-identity and value.
In our real life, these three levels influence each other and their relationships are complicated. Designers need to cautiously evaluate the needs of these three levels when facing different target groups. In the industrial world, although the Alessi Lemon Squeezer has a charming and modern appearance, it is actually very difficult to use and it often causes the dilemma of juice leakage. However, this is the “exceptional work” of the famous designer Philippe Starck. Since its production and sale in 1990, Alessi has sold millions of these squeezers. Even now the squeezer is still one of the best-selling products in stores. Philippe Starck said that this juicer was just designed to start a conversation in the kitchen. We can see that people buy them not for practical functions, but more for the pleasure of the visual senses and some reflective emotions. The juicer pulls human requirements for industrial products from ease of use to a new level of fun.
Since industrial products can resonate with people emotionally through the visceral, behavioral and reflective levels, products in the information age also follow similar design principles. Early Internet products gained the market only by a certain special function. But today, an excellent Internet product should have a pleasing appearance, allow people to operate efficiently and smoothly, and truly meet the needs of users. When the similar products are all easy to use, successful emotional design can greatly improve product competitiveness, even become the core point of success. Just as Donald Norman said, for the success of a product, the emotional element of the design may be more critical than the practical element.
In short, giving products emotions, closing the distance with users and generating emotional resonance are the key elements for both industrial and Internet products to enhance their competitiveness.