Emotional Design

1. The author opens the chapter talking about the emotional link between the consumer and the product. He claims people experience a certain attachment to their possessions over time, eventually seeing them as more than just household items. These products instead become gateways to past memories. A paper shredder doesn't just shred paper, there's a story that goes along with it. Products go beyond behavioral design in this way. Sometimes, eventually, they are there to serve no function at all other than to remind the owner of the past.
Norman points out something called the "wow" factor. When someone sees a product that stands out because of size, color or packaging, and is very appealing, he or she is drawn in by its attractiveness. For example, a girl walks into a clothing store and lays eyes on an elegant black dress, and immediately thinks, "I have to have that!" This is an example of the "wow" factor. Norman believes this stems from packaging, the way that certain designs distinguish themselves from others.
Visceral design. Visceral design is a design that attracts someone because of its outward appearance. Norman says, "At the visceral level, physical features--look, feel, and sound--dominate." Visceral designs are all about appealing to the senses; that elegant black dress and sports cars are perfect examples.
Behavioral design. These designs focus primarily on use and operation rather than aesthetics. Norman's main point in this section is designers must understand how people will use a product in order to create a successful product. If something already exists, the designer's job is to observe what flaws remain and what can be improved. In the example of the cup holder, the designer realized, through observation, that people needed a space to put their drinks while driving. The designer would not have known this was needed without close observation. That is something Norman calls enhancement, and there is also innovation. Innovation is much trickier because there is no platform to build from, no previous experiences to learn from, so consumers' needs are less apparent. With either enhancement or innovation, there is a design challenge. People don't always know how to articulate their needs. When they struggle with a certain product, they believe its their own fault and not a design flaw. The design is in fact flawed, and the designer's challenge is to address the needs of the consumers even when they cannot articulate these needs.
Norman's next key point is that a design should be universally usable, and that "usage is the critical test of a product." Some products, like instruments, are not universally usable but are still understandable and function well; this is an exception because learning to play an instrument well isn't something that one can do picking it up the first time. However, a design has succeeded if it can be used by everyone, including the handicapped, the blind, or the deaf.
In regard to behavioral design, Norman points out that many designs fail because the designers and engineers are self-centered. Everything should be human-centered, and designers must learn to look and experience products through the consumer's eyes. This is difficult for them to do because "they know too much and too little." Their minds are so technologically advanced that they cannot possibly use things as normal people would. They see everything differently.
Reflective design. Reflective design is all about the meaning behind objects, the message they convey, and how they connect with the consumers on a personal level. On the other hand, it is about the message the object sends to others, including self-image. In Norman's example of the two watches, one is for aesthetic purposes and the other for more practical purposes. The first is viscerally attractive, and the second is more behavioral. This leads into his third point that reflective design is all in the eye of the beholder.

2. This chapter focuses on how design evokes emotion in the consumer. It does not focus as much on what factors should play a role in good design, but rather the relationship designs have with the consumers. Norman talks a lot about how people have the ability to connect with objects and create memories with them. He writes about devious design and how design plays tricks in our world. This chapter focuses on human interaction with design in our everyday life, in everything from cars and clothes, to supermarkets.

3. Visceral design: My phone broke this summer so I went to at&t to buy a new one. As I was looking through the selection, my eyes immediately went towards the phones with the touch screens. The design was a success because I ended up buying a phone with a touch screen and I wasn't very interested in any others.

Behavioral design: In high school, there were always those girls who carried around purses for bookbags. That was something I never understood because I felt a purse could never carry all of the heavy books I needed for class. Instead, I bought a regular bookbag with shoulder straps which is just what I needed to carry everything. The bag was a success because it held the weight, maybe it wasn't as fashionable as carrying a purse, but I felt I had enough space for the things I needed.

Reflective design: I went to the poster sale in Hicks last week and I ended up buying four posters. I wanted to buy posters that I thought reflect who I am, what I like, what I'm like, and that would say something about my personality. The posters succeeded in doing so because I felt they were a reflection of what I like. Looking at my room, I feel like it really does describe a little part of who I am.