Don Norman: emotional design

Don Norman explains the concept of emotional design through past experiences and observations that he has had. The idea of designing something to key an emotional response in a person may not be found in a that you buy but just in a product that you are using, such as the example Norman gave as Google's extended o's in the search results. Products designed in this way dictate how we react with the product, producing an emotional response of 'i don't know what it does but i want it'. This reflects the designers vision for the product, of something that is not always usable but something that is 'beautiful and fun'.

An example used by Norman as a product that is not usable but wanted for its beauty and fun is the Alessi juicer which comes in a gold plated edition and with a small note that says 'do not use this juicer for juicing, the acidity of the fruit may erode the gold plating'. This product has been rendered unusable for the purpose that it was intended for, in another circumstance this product would be thought of as badly designed, based on the materials that the product is made from. Due to the reaction and emotional affect the product has this juicer is given a new purpose as a decorative piece in the home.

Don Norman explains in three steps what emotional design is based on, these are:

Visceral - This has been shown in previous examples such as the gold edition juicer bought for its visceral value. Other things affect us on this level such as type fonts and the colour red for 'hot'.

Behavioral - The behavioral level is our sub conscious which helps us breath without having to think about it otherwise known as the automatic skills and behaviors. Within design this is how a person will react to the product in front of then, creating a sense of joy, fear, or anxiety to the product. The goal of a designer in most cases depending on a product is to create a sense of joy when using the product. This will attract people more than a product that produces a sense of fear unless the goal is to defer people from going or using something, eg High voltage signs.

Reflective - Described by Norman as the 'super ego', this emotional level has no control over the muscles or brain. This is the voice inside you that tells you if you like something in front of you or not. It is the part of you that wants to show other people how much money you have such as buying an expensive watch or car, or showing people you care for the environment by buying a environmentally friendly car. It is the part of the brain that wants to impress the people around you.