Process: Research and Observation Analysis

Much work went into developing this product for my degree..

Working through avenues of inspiration such as the ‘Ikea-Hack’ Society [self explanatory really.. if not check link], 

For me this society presents us with examples where consumers opportunities to be creative are restricted. They obviously like ikea products, but possibly just their contemporary styling. Then the reasoning for the ‘Hacking’ may be due to functional requirements and a desire to self construct.

I also undertook much direct observation of friends, placing them in situations where i could analyse their struggles to construct furniture [i purposely gave Shelly, only a Phillips screwdriver! :) ]

Theory: Interaction and sensory Feedback

To help me develop this product i began to push into the realms of interaction and experience design. Experience design would allow my theories of event creation to become more realistic. To take a mundane process and turn it into a pleasurable experience, i started to get to grips with ways that people interact.

The most logical system for me was to attack the senses. Based on the writings of D.Norman and P.Jordan (User Centred and Emotional Design Professionals) these areas would help me affect the user psychologically and so affect whether the user perceives the situation to possibly be pleasurable or irritating, thus creating either a positive or a negative event.

These ‘Pleasure Areas’ were key to me breaking down the areas of physical interaction i wanted to affect.

-Physio-pleasure

-Psycho-pleasure

-Socio-pleasure

-Ideo-pleasure

This was the basis to which my project and product sat on and to which all my user and component testing was held up against.