Exploring the importance of a usable and emotional product design from the user’s perspective

Abstract

Usability and emotionality are important components of user experience. However, an equal consideration of both constructs in product design is not always possible due to sometimes competitive objectives. In order to foster a user-oriented design decision in such conflicting situations, this paper examines the general importance of both constructs and their dimensions from the user’s perspective while taking into account socio-demographic variables. Examination was realised by conducting a product independent anonymous online survey (n = 130). The findings confirm that both constructs are important, yet in a direct comparison, usability is perceived as more important than emotionality. Taking selected dimensions of both constructs into account, an intuitive, easy and learnable usage, suitability for the user's task and freedom from impairment are particularly important in terms of usability. An aesthetic and pleasurable product design as well as originality is essential in terms of emotionality.

Practitioner summary: This paper aims for supporting user-oriented design decisions in the context of conflicting objectives occurring in the consideration of usability and emotionality in product design. The conducted survey (n = 130) revealed usability as perceived more important than emotionality. Usability may thus be prioritised within conflicting design decisions.

Abbreviations: DFG: German Research Foundation; e.g.: for example; GESIS: Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences; m: metric; M: Mean; n: number of participants; n: nominal; o: ordinal; p level: level of statistical significance; RQ: Research question; r: correlation coefficient; V: Cramer’s V; χ²: Chi-square

Keywords:

• Usability
• emotional design
• product design
• user-centred design
• empirical study

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful for all participants who took their time to participate in the study. Furthermore, the authors like to thank the German Research Foundation (DFG) for their financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under [Grant WA 2913/32-1].