Book Reading #27 - Emotional Design

Title:
Chapter 2: The Multiple Faces of Emotion and Design

Reference:
Norman, Donald.  Emotional Design. Basic Books.  New York. 2004

Summary:
The opening of this chapter reviews the three emotion devices in terms of products:

1. Visceral - pre-conscious, pre-thought; appearance
2. Behavioral - experience with the product; pleasure and effectiveness of use
3. Reflective - feelings, emotions, cognition; self-image and memories

Norman discusses the differences in objects and personal opinion stating it is impossible to please everybody.  This being the case, companies either focus on a specific part of the market (market segmentation) or through a good use of media and advertisement are able to gather an emotional appeal in order to attract all people (like coca-cola).  He discusses consoles and how they are being used by a wider audience than marketed to, and also have the potential to be attractive to others as well.  In order for this to happen, the book states that the marketing strategies will have to change and that multiple designs will have to be used in order to open the market more.  

Some things rely on emotion rather than reason.  Trinkets, artifacts, and mementos are not beautiful in and of themselves, however, they elicit an emotion in the owner that surpasses the worth of the physical.  It is the story and its association that matters, not necessarily the object itself.  Photographs are a prime example of this.

He talks about self-image and how making a positive image in various ways makes us feel good about ourselves.  We like to build things and do things on our own to give it that personal tough.  

Discussion:
Normans claims go right along with common sense and human nature, that we in the west are individualistic and like things our way and with that like a lot of personality in the things we use.  We like to be a man of the land, designing and structuring our own things even if we are not always capable.  We must put our mark on our things.