by Don Norman Emotion is actual what guides us in our product choices. It is not in fact the simplicity, elegance, and usefulness of the design but how it makes us feel on an emotional level. One of three in fact according to Norman.
- Visceral
- Behavioral
- Reflective
Norman describes visceral as being the emotion related to the initial impact of a products touch, feel and appearance. He then goes on to describe behavioral as the part that controls our everyday actions. Reflective is described as more of an unconscious thought/contemplation about the visceral and behavioral attributes. Meaning that the first two aspects will engage us faster but after a while we grow a larger attachment or enjoyment out of the item due to its reflective value. However this can work in reverse as well, if even though you may have had a happy feeling associated with an object having a couple of bad experiences can cause you to change your reflective outlook on the object and override the previous happy memories.
Overrall the book discusses how emotions help dictate how useful something appears to each of us and so must be taken into account when designing things. By making something easy to use your creating a sense of happiness for the user which will help them forget about some problems with the product. The Mini Cooper is mentioned to be fun to drive and so owners overlook of the problems with it. In conculsion Norman changed his mind and now believes that products should be designed for their emotional impact.
