Emotional Design Analysis. a study of led poi

Transcription

1 Emotional Design Analysis a study of led poi I300: HCI/Interaction Design Keana Mowery Fall 2015

2 OVERVIEW Don Norman attributes three levels to Emotional Design: visceral, behavioral, and reflective (Norman). The visceral level is the most basic level of emotion. It is automatic and subconscious - our first impression of design (Norman). The behavioral level initiates and directs much of our behavior when interacting with the design (Norman). It relates to function. The behavioral level is what makes a design easy to use or very confusing. The reflective level interacts with the conscious, self aware part of the brain (Norman). It influences our existing memories associated with design as well as future use of the product. In this study I will relate these three levels to an object I think is well designed and which holds importance for me - in this case, a set of LED poi made by Home of Poi online. I will also discuss how the design of the objects helps promote my flow state.

3 background The chosen item is a set of LED color-changing poi. Poi are equipment used for a style of performance art which involves swinging weights on string in combinations of geometric patterns. Poi is the Maori word for ball on a string (Zen Arts LA). They are manufactured by the company Home of Poi which specializes in all things flow-arts related. This set of poi is a great value especially for beginning spinners at $25, since competitors usually charge $100 or more for a pair. The purpose of these poi is to create a positive, effortless spinning experience for the user through precise weight design and string length as well as properly functioning LEDs. These components in turn promote the user s flow and rate of skill improvement. Below is a video of me demonstrating the use of the object: Video Preview

4 study V I S C E R A L // When I first pick up the poi I am delighted by the texture of the finger-loop handles and by the smoothness of the poi ball. Once they are switched on, their appeal increases immensely as they cycle through the rainbow of LEDs. When I use this item I am entertained and relaxed as I spin and weave them around myself in a variety of patterns and watch the colors dance around me. B E H A V I O R A L // The cords are about 1.5 feet long which permits a suitable range for spinning for my personal tastes. The cords are somewhat adjustable to change length if desired. The poi are designed to be water-resistant and that function does work - someone borrowed them once and was then tackled into a pool, and they still work. The handles are finger-loop handles, going over my first and middle finger, which allows them to stay securely on my hands as I am spinning, alleviating the worry that they will fly out of my hands or fall off and in turn encouraging the flow state. The balls themselves are made of a material meant to not bruise me when I hit myself with it - and that happens frequently when learning and practicing new moves. R E F L E C T I V E // This set of poi is the only performance LED set I have used while learning this art form. I bought them online as a birthday present for myself this past year and they took about a month to ship to me from Australia. After receiving the poi and taking up spinning as a hobby I have experienced an increase in my overall mood. When I am not using these, they are either hanging from a hook on the back on my bedroom door or in my backpack, always ready to be put to use. I experience the concept of flow very strongly when spinning poi, especially to music.

5 conclusion Using Don Norman s framework to analyze the emotional design of my poi, I have gained a stronger appreciation for the way my poi were designed and created and now know how to shop for a successful set in the future. This approach ties in with Norman s framework of affordances and constraints. The way that the object is designed affords emotional ties and positive memory formation in relation to the object. It can constrain the user from having a bad experience. I can enjoy my flow state because of these affordances and constraints. I trust the poi to swing properly due to their weighting. Their material affords that if I hit myself with them, I can keep going without sustaining an injury. I know that the LEDs will function properly when I am performing because these are designed for long battery life. The looped handles afford confidence that the poi will stay attached to my hands at all times, constraining the amount of flow interruption I may experience. My flow state is so strong when using these poi that it has improved my mental state over the last six months and continues to do so. The functional design of a product is important, but this project made me more aware of the emotional design of objects. I feel that this improved how I think about design because I approached the concept from a personal perspective and analyzed something that holds significance to me.

6 references Allanwood, Gavin, and Peter Beare. User Experience Design: Creating Designs Users Really Love. N.p.: Bloomsbury, Print. Norman, Don. The Three Ways That Good Design Makes You Happy. YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 16 Feb Zen Arts LA. The History of Fire Dancing. (2011, June 2). Retrieved September 17, 2015.