Capturing users’ perceptions of valuable experience and meaning

Abstract

In this article, we argue that more ‘fit-to-user’ products can be designed by understanding the underlying influential factors of user experience. Those factors go beyond the functional needs of the user, and thus, more ‘fit-to-user’ products can be designed. This is especially important as technology becomes more and more ubiquitous and its usage is only task- and work-related. Usability-related goals of design for devices to be used in leisure and fun activities are not enough to evoke positive emotions and satisfaction. The relevant literature is reviewed to gather an understanding of the notion of the user's impractical needs and aspirations, such as social, hedonistic, and emotional values and the meanings users attach to a product in a certain context. In addition, existing methods with similar aims are reviewed. This article reports a case study of the development of a tool to elicit user values and meanings. The tool is based on a projective psychological technique and it is recommended for use at the beginning of the design process to gather user data. Empirical experience of the usage of the tool is reported with implications for the design process.

Keywords:

• user experience
• user values
• meaning
• projective technique
• product development

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation throught the project VALU. We gratefully acknowledge the support of VALU steering group for the research work and the helpful comments of the anonymous reviewers of this paper.