Maaria Tiensivu Design and Emotion

(Helinä)

Maaria Tiensivu

Design and Emotion

BA (Hons) Sustainable Product Design School of Design, University College Falmouth 5.1.2015

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This essay is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the award of BA (Hons) Sustainable Product Design. I confirm that, except where other sources are acknowledged, this project is my own unaided work and that its length is 2136 words.

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Date:

Maaria Tiensivu

7.1.2015

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Design & Emotion

‘If enduring narratives between emotionally demanding users and comparably inert products are to be nurtured, we as designers must look beyond objective considerations such as styling and ergonomics to consider deeper sensorial dimensions of objects’ (Chapman, 2005: 130)

The quote by Chapman is an inclusive summary of the ideas presented in his book Emotionally Durable Design. The first interesting choice of words is the use of “narrative” when describing the relationship between the user and the product. Narrative is often understood as a story that is told by someone (an active participant) while someone else listens (a passive participant). The Oxford dictionary, however, offers an alternative definition of the word. ‘A representation of a particular situation or process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an overarching set of aims or values’ (Oxforddictionaries.com, 2014). In this interpretation, the aim of influencing is more exposed. In order to influence, two active parties are required, both the influencer and the party that is being influenced. The Influencers’ activity is somewhat apparent, but the party who is being influenced has an active role as well. They both accept the ideas of the influencer and start to think and act in a different way or they actively resist. In his book, Chapman questions whether the traditional view of products as lifeless subjects is sensible or even accurate.

Donald A. Norman points out that people are programmed to anthropomorphize. (Norman, 2004, p.135) That means that people using products do not deal with them as inert, passive subjects but they relate to them as living things. People take care of their beloved products and even talk to them.

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The depth of these human – product relationships vary, but they are there. The first time when I realized that products a part of our identity was when I lived in Switzerland. There are a few traditional tableware design companies in Finland whose products are everywhere. Even though they are considered high-end brands, their products have become so generic that one doesn’t pay attention to them. My first host family in Switzerland was frigid and distant and their home was filled with Swiss design. However, the second family I stayed with had one Moomin mug manufactured by Arabia. Moomin mugs are based on tales written and illustrated by a Finnish artist Tove Jansson. Every household in Finland is guaranteed to have at least one of these mugs. The familiarity of this single mug, not even my own, created an intense sense of home for me. Ever since, my strongest sense of Finnish identity has been attached to certain Finnish design products. They work as an outlet for a deep affection for the country that in so many ways does not feel like home.

Fig. 1: Tove Jansson for Arabia, Joulumuki, 2004

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In the example before, the relationship with the mug was not with its visceral or behavioral levels. It was on the reflective level of the product. (Norman, 2004) In this case it was tied with the memories shared with the product it represented as well as the cultural knowledge of its origin and context. When examining emotional designs the question of affection is an important one. In a table from research done by Emma Lacey, are answers that people provided when asked about their favorite and least favorite mugs. (Lacey, 2009)

Fig. 2: Emma Lacey, Table 1. Results summary – Favorite Mug interviews (2005-2007).

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While there were significant factors regarding the first two levels, the most relevant answers regarding emotion came from the reflective level. The thing that connected the responses on the reflective level was the notion of memories. Who had given the mug, what the picture was on it and how the mug was connected to the owner? There are cases in which the product is not even functional, but it is still loved on a reflective level. In these cases the item is valued as perhaps a piece of art (Norman, 2004: 4) or a representation of a different time (for example family heirlooms). Good functionality (behavioral level) and beauty (visceral level) do however contribute on the users emotional attachment to the product. A beautiful product that works well gets more use and therefore has the potential to develop a meaningful relationship with the user by sharing layers of memories.

If a product is too straightforward, the user will get tired of it. If a product is too complex, the user will get frustrated with it. The key to a flourishing relationship is explicit feedback. A great example by Chapman is the houseplant that grows when treated well and dies when neglected. (Chapman, 2005: 112) The feedback is very clear, and caring for the plant can even be a matter of honor. People want others to see them as reliable, and a dying plant is not a good advocate for that. Another example from my everyday life is a ukulele. The newly purchased ukulele came with a reminder that in the beginning it will quickly go out of tune. The instructions stated that the instrument would stay in tune only when it is frequently played. An out of tune cry will face the player who has not paid attention to their instrument for too long. Like the plant, a well cared for instrument sends a message of dedication to both the player and to others who might pick it up and have a go at playing it. In both cases the feedback gets to the owner. They either feel proud for their in tune ukulele or guilty for not playing it enough.

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Abstrahoiva empatia (or Abstract empathy in English) is projecting one's personal feelings into the subject of their empathy. It means that we are substituting the other with ourselves. (Silkelä, 2003) That is what usually happens when we interact with products. An insightful example of this is the movie Her by Spike Jonze. In the film, the main character gets into a relationship with an operating system (OS) that is designed to develop into a perfect companion for him. (IMDb, 2013) That means that the OS learns his behavioral patterns, likes and dislikes by creating a creature that is a digital reflection of the main character. In the movie, people begin to replace human relationships with OS relationships. Whether or not people would replace human relationships with operating systems is hard to predict. However, one of the reasons the character in the film seems to fall in love with the OS, is that the OS manages to challenge and annoy him. In addition to acting out the OS learns the ideal ways to make up for the misbehavior. It would seem that misbehavior is something that makes a man made product feel real, even when it is calculated and without a physical form.

Chapman too, acknowledges the phenomenon of misbehaving. He states that ‘Interaction has become an unconscious process that we are barely even conscious of until, that is, it misbehaves.’ (Chapman, 2005: 86) The explanation for why the misbehavior is vital to meaningful relationships would then be that without minor imperfections interaction is an unconscious act. According to Chapman’s interpretation of Van Hinte’s, Eternally Yours, people choose things that somehow support and grow their identity. (Chapman, 2005: 41) If that is correct, then products, which are neutral or used unconsciously are doomed to be forgotten when, choosing the building blocks of one's identity. It is only when one is forced to use a product that is a mere ghost of the well behaving and functional item they are used to, when these honest and boring products may surface to the consciousness of the user.

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A recent example of this would be the dish brush. I prefer using a brush when washing the dishes because to me they feel more hygienic. I also tend to rub in a somewhat aggressive manner, which has never been a problem before. However, the dish brushes I’ve found in the UK have not lasted for more than a week or two for my use. That brought a product that before only existed on the subconscious level of my psyche into the conscious level. I even found myself wishing for dish brushes for Christmas. A misbehaving dish brush brought forth a hidden appreciation for an otherwise neutral product.

Fig. 3: Sini, a ‘trendiharja’ dish brush, 2012

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Unfortunately, misbehavior or a challenge in products almost always means that you have to spend money and buy a new one. We might consider learning something from the world of gaming. In games, the challenges are a part of the experience. If a level has a tricky problem on it, the first response is not to run and buy a new game, but to rather try an alternative method of approaching it. That creates a conversation or a narrative between the user and the product. Often quite literally, since while talking to physical products is somewhat rare, in the gaming world emotions run high, and playing has even transformed into a collaborative effort with people communicating with their headphones on. It might be worthwhile to find out whether people need the other parties to talk to or if they are actually conversing with the game itself.

As Chapman states in his quote about nurturing narratives between inert products and emotional users, there is scope for going deeper when designing products. Intuitive design is a good start, but it must be stated that instinctive behavior is learnt and is, therefore culturally specific. Cultural specification is not necessarily a bad thing, but it 's hard to notice these automated sets of behavior unless it is acknowledged that there are also other ways of approaching them. These solutions might at first seem counterintuitive, but that is only because everyone is equipped with their individual set of automated routines. We must get out of our personal intuitive patterns in order to create innovative and divergent solutions to problems. Diving into different cultures, and their daily routines is a fine tool for truly seeing behind all the things that are taken for granted in everyday life. That however requires one to embrace and accept vulnerability. With that, I mean that designers could try and free themselves from the strict role of the researcher and approach the problem as vulnerable individuals while acknowledging their personal preconceptions.

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That is exactly what Stuart Walker does in the beginning of Sustainable by Design when he sheds light on his background. He says: ‘I am reluctant to call this work “research” because the term conjures notions of scientific experiment or systematic, objective investigation and analysis. To adopt such an approach in design would be a mistake.’ (Walker, 2006)

To truly be able to consider the deeper sensorial dimensions of objects (Chapman, 2005) we, as designers must embrace empathy. Empathy is a much-used word that often gets mixed with sympathy. The main difference between the two is that while in sympathy it is enough to acknowledge the suffering of others, in empathy one must understand what the other person is feeling. The options are that they have either experienced the feeling themselves or are capable of putting themselves in the other individuals’ shoes. In both cases regarding empathy, I would argue that it is impossible to do that and claim to be objective. It is however, possible to feel sympathy while remaining objective in the hardship of others and try to make their life easier. That however, should not be called empathic design. Unless one is willing to be vulnerable and feel the pain of others they, by definition, are not empathic.

To conclude, I agree with Chapman and his quote. The more I learn about the society and humanity the less I am able to believe in objectivity. I agree that if we want to nurture relationships and change the way people interact with their products we must look outside the system that created the situation in the first place. While humanity transforms the earth into garbage, we must look beyond the visceral and behavioral levels or design (Norman, 2004) and try to find other ways of filling the need for consumption. In order to do that we must stop producing emotionally empty artifacts and replace the hollow insides with just the right amount of misbehavior and surprise.

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We must create a narrative that works both ways. We can start looking for answers beyond our narrow fields of design and begin to solve problems without a predetermined medium. The material should not determine the solution but rather the other way around. If we were to start from empathy and acknowledge our inducements in design, we could then work our way into the styling and ergonomics. Thus creating full, layered products that people truly bond with and will want to keep forever.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

List of references: •

Chapman, J. (2005). Emotionally durable design. London: Earthscan.

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Her. (2013). [DVD] Hollywood: Spike Jonze.

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IMDb, (2013). Her (2013). [online] Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/ [Accessed 30 Dec. 2014].

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Lacey, E. (2009). Contemporary Ceramic Design for Meaningful Interaction and Emotional Durability: A Case Study. [online] International Journal of Dsign. Available at: http://www.ijdesign.org/ojs/index.php/IJDesign/article/view/571/263 [Accessed 30 Dec. 2014].

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Norman, D. (2004). Emotional design. New York: Basic Books.

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Oxforddictionaries.com, (2014). narrative: definition of narrative in Oxford dictionary (British & World English). [online] Available at: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/narrative [Accessed 30 Dec. 2014].

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Silkelä, R. (2003). Raimo Silkelä: Aito kohtaaminen opetusharjoittelun ohjaamisessa. [online] Sokl.uef.fi. Available at: http://sokl.uef.fi/verkkojulkaisut/ohjaus/Silkela.htm#Mik%E4%20on%20 kohtaamisen%20ja%20dialogisuuden%20v%E4linen%20suhde [Accessed 30 Dec. 2014].

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Walker, S. (2006). Sustainable by Design. London: Earthscan, pp.1-27.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

List of figures: 1. Arabia, (2004). 'Joulumuki' Moomin mug. [image] Available at: http://moominmania.co.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2012/10/MG_5068-500x365.jpg [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015]. 2. Lacey, E. (2015). Table 1 Results summary. [image] Available at: http://www.ijdesign.org/ojs/index.php/IJDesign/article/view/571/263 [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015].

3. Sini, (2012). A 'trendiharja' dish brush. [image] Available at: http://www.sinituote.fi/trendiharja [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015].

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