EMOTIONAL DESIGN - Why we love (hate everyday things)

EMOTIONAL DESIGN - Why we love (hate everyday things)

Emotional Design is both the title of a book by Donald Norman and of the concept it represents. The main issue is that emotions have a crucial role in the human ability to understand the world, and how they learn new things. For example: aesthetically pleasing objects appear to the user to be more effective, by virtue of their sensual appeal. This is due to the affinity the user feels for an object that appeals to him, due to the formation of an emotional connection [with the object].

            Emotion we know now, change the way the human mind solve problem – the emotional system change how the cognitive systems operate. So, if aesthetic would change our emotional state, that would explain the mystery. Emotion was an ill explore part of human psychology. Some people thought it an evolutionary left over from our animal origins. Most thought emotions as a problem to be overcome by rational, logical thinking. Emotions play a critical role in daily lives, helping assess situations as good or bad, safe or dangerous.

Norman's approach is based on classical ABC model of attitudes. However, he changed the concept to be suitable for application in design. The three dimensions have new names (visceral, behavioral and reflective level) and partially new content. In the book, Norman shows that design of most objects are perceived on all three levels (dimensions). Therefore a good design should address all three levels.

The automatic, prewired layer, called visceral level means the part that contains the brain processes that control everyday behavior , known as the behavioral level and the contemplative part of the brain, or the reflective level. Each level play a different role in the total functioning of people.  The visceral is fast, it makes rapid judgments of what is good or bad, safe or dangerous and send appropriate signals to muscles and alerts the rest of the brain. This is the start of affective processing. The behavioral level in human beings is especially valuable for well-learned, routine operation. This is well the skilled performer excels. It not conscious, which is why you can successfully drive your automobile subconsciously at the behavioral level while consciously thinking of something else at the reflective level.

Visceral level are called “bottom up”, while reflective level called “top down “Bottom up processes are those driven by perception whereas top down are driven by thought. Neurotransmitters focus the brain processing. When someone feels anxious, he or she will be more focus. Their anxiety helps them to get the work done, while someone who is relaxed, happy in a pleasant mood is more creative, more able to overlook and cope with the problems.

            Norman open the book with a discussion of three teapots owns collections. He has 3 types of teapots. First, it invented by the French artist Jacques Carelman who called it a coffee pot: a “coffeepot for masochists”, it impossible toise. Second, called Nanna, unique squat and chubby nature is surprisingly appealing. I t design by the well-known architect and product designer Micheal Groves, looks clumsy but actually works rather well. And the third is complicated but practical utiliting pot made by the German firm Ronnefeldt. It designed with the different stages of tea brewing in mind.

            He teached how to make a tea by using that pot. He also teached how to make a delicious taste of tea (not bitter). But he just showed how to make it but everyday he not followed the steps, only used a simple method. Reasons, fast, effiecent, easy to clean. So the questions is, why? It because, the value of teapots not only for their functions but because they are sculpture artwork. He always comparing shapes, watching the play of light on the varied surfaces. For Donald, design is important, but which design he choose depends on the occasion the context and his mood.

            The story of teapots illustrates several components of product design: usability (or look there of ) aesthetic and and practically. In creating a product, many factors to consider, the choices of material, the manufacturing method, the way the product is marketed, cost and practically and how easy the product is to use, to understand. He stated the emotional component to how product are design and put to use. Its may be more critical to a products success than its practical elements.


            In conclude, mostly this book explain about the basic tools of emotional design. Attractive things do work better. Attractiveness produces positive emotions, causing mental processes to be more creative, more tolerant of minor difficulties. The three levels of processing lead to three corresponding forms of design, the visceral, behavioural and reflective. Each plays a critical role in human behaviour, each eqully critical role in design, marketing and use of product.