Have you ever noticed that cheap wine appears to taste better when served in fancy glasses? Did you ever think about why the sales of Macintosh computers soared after the colorful iMac was launched by Apple? Regardless of the intent, the visual façade of a product communicates a wide array of information to the consumers. Visual stimulus helps consumers make sense of things. Not only does it serve to provide highly nuanced information, it also evokes emotions and conveys meaning. To put it in a nutshell, all design is emotional and comes with its own emotional range, whether intended by the designers or not. The rules of thumb for innovation design dictate that the trick of the trade is to mold the emotion to the benefit of your product and make it instill positive emotions in the consumers.
Bourgeoning research on cognition and emotion has proven that attractive things appeal better to consumers, even if they serve the same function as their homelier counterpart. Emotional Design enunciates the vast influence of the emotions and feelings that products evoke, from the impact of feelings on the everyday objects of tomorrow, to our amiable willingness to splurge thousands of dollars on Rolex watches and Gucci bags.
Recently a great deal of light has been shed on the role of design in creating a strong connection to the consumer and evoking positive emotions in them. Highly skilled creative individuals, designers, and researchers are increasingly trying to leverage often-unconscious emotions in the creation of brands and products. The role of design research aids the designers in comprehending the emotions sought by the consumers and the visual vocabulary that has the power to conjure up the appropriate emotional response.
If you are aspiring to ace the art of emotional design, here are a few inspirational quotes from thriving professionals in the industry to fuel your creativity.
