Descriprion
Emotions play a strong role in consumption. Textiles and cloth ing represent the desired lifestyle to which a consumer aspires (McCracken, 1988), and furthermore they are expressions of self and one’s own identity. Textiles and clothing belong to the category of selfexpressive products, which inspire consumptionrelated emotions, at least immediately after the purchase event. According to Richins (2008) these feelings of excitement at purchase point are important for a consumer, but as consumptionlinked emotions they have no link to product attachment, unlike the emotions stimulated during the use phase.
At the same time, Mugge et al. (2008) argue that the product’s utilitarian level is connected to the consumer’s need fulfilment, and this process does not ensure that an emotional attachment will develop. As Mugge et al. (2005) point out, if the product performs according to consumers’ expectations, this in itself does not lead to attachment. According to these authors some special meaning must be associated with the product or its use to inspire a deeper attachment, and through this, product replacement is postponed. On the other hand, positive use experience may lead to deeper product satisfaction, thus enabling the product’s longterm use.
Many design processes are already familiar to consumercentric designers: design styles, material choices, quality aspects, and functionality considerations. On the other hand the current system of manufacturing and doing business is based on products’ fast replacement and planned obsolescence, and this system does not make it possible to design increased product longevity by increasing intrinsic quality (Mont 2008).
At the same time, Mugge et al. (2008) argue that the product’s utilitarian level is connected to the consumer’s need fulfilment, and this process does not ensure that an emotional attachment will develop. As Mugge et al. (2005) point out, if the product performs according to consumers’ expectations, this in itself does not lead to attachment. According to these authors some special meaning must be associated with the product or its use to inspire a deeper attachment, and through this, product replacement is postponed. On the other hand, positive use experience may lead to deeper product satisfaction, thus enabling the product’s longterm use.
Many design processes are already familiar to consumercentric designers: design styles, material choices, quality aspects, and functionality considerations. On the other hand the current system of manufacturing and doing business is based on products’ fast replacement and planned obsolescence, and this system does not make it possible to design increased product longevity by increasing intrinsic quality (Mont 2008).
Mattelmäki, Vaajakallio and Koskinen (2014) have divided empathic design into four following layers: sensitivity towards humans, sensitivity towards design, sensitivity towards techniques and sensitivity towards collaboration. In the first layer, sensitivity towards humans, the designer works with the information and inspiration from the users. Designer makes sense of people and their context. In the second layer, sensitivity towards design, designer points out “what if” questions while looking for opportunities and a potential design direction. The future view is strongly present. In the third layer, sensitivity towards techniques, designer creatively adapts and applies tools to not only collect information but also to communicate his/her ideas. In the fourth level, sensitivity towards collaboration, designer will focus on co-design methods to solve the problem under study (ibid.).
Mattelmäki, Vaajakallio and Koskinen (2014) further argue that empathic design is an interpretive creative process, where solutions emerge through interacting with people. In the center is the construction of contextual understanding, which is built on design competencies; design thinking and creative problem solving in collaborative manner. The designer interprets the knowledge gathered from, or constructed together with users or consumers to build new solutions, innovations or even transformations for current systems. Design thinking can enable transformation or transition by design. It can benefit organizations or even societies by focusing on problems with a wide perspective and applying systems level thinking, not only product development (Cooper et al. 2009).
Mattelmäki, Vaajakallio and Koskinen (2014) further argue that empathic design is an interpretive creative process, where solutions emerge through interacting with people. In the center is the construction of contextual understanding, which is built on design competencies; design thinking and creative problem solving in collaborative manner. The designer interprets the knowledge gathered from, or constructed together with users or consumers to build new solutions, innovations or even transformations for current systems. Design thinking can enable transformation or transition by design. It can benefit organizations or even societies by focusing on problems with a wide perspective and applying systems level thinking, not only product development (Cooper et al. 2009).
Schifferstein and ZwartkruisPelgrim (2008) define the degree of consumerproduct attachment as the strength of emotionally engaged experiences a user has with a product. Durable product attachments emerge towards objects that are special and mean a lot to the user: if this kind of object is lost, the user experiences emotional loss. Hence this kind of product is unlikely to be dis posed of.
Consumers create attachments to some objects whereas they easily dispose of others. From a sustainability viewpoint, it is im portant to lengthen the lifespan of many products. Hence designers should seek to strengthen the product attachment that consumers create in order to lengthen the lifespan of products. According to schifferstein and ZwartkruisPelgrim (2008), seven determinants of product attachments can be identified: enjoyment; memories to persons, places, and events; support of selfidentity; life vision; utility; reliability; and market value. The authors state that of these, only memories and enjoyment contribute positively to the degree of attachment.
Meaningful attachments are not easy to embed in design, as they are personal and connected to an individual’s history or personal experiences. However, experiencing positive emotions in the use situation leads to product satisfaction, and hence positive use experience is important in long term product relationships.
Furthermore, the following aesthetical attributes can be found as an important dimension for the consumer: beauty, style, colour, fit and positive tactile experience (good fit and especially comfortable materials in use). Moreover textiles and garments stay long term in use due to a more classical style or colour, which looks good even when trends are changing. On the other hand a beautiful colour or special style can be the reason to keep the product. In these situations the expressive performance has been above average and resulted in satisfaction, and hence the reason to keep the product has been the beauty experience
Consumers create attachments to some objects whereas they easily dispose of others. From a sustainability viewpoint, it is im portant to lengthen the lifespan of many products. Hence designers should seek to strengthen the product attachment that consumers create in order to lengthen the lifespan of products. According to schifferstein and ZwartkruisPelgrim (2008), seven determinants of product attachments can be identified: enjoyment; memories to persons, places, and events; support of selfidentity; life vision; utility; reliability; and market value. The authors state that of these, only memories and enjoyment contribute positively to the degree of attachment.
Meaningful attachments are not easy to embed in design, as they are personal and connected to an individual’s history or personal experiences. However, experiencing positive emotions in the use situation leads to product satisfaction, and hence positive use experience is important in long term product relationships.
Furthermore, the following aesthetical attributes can be found as an important dimension for the consumer: beauty, style, colour, fit and positive tactile experience (good fit and especially comfortable materials in use). Moreover textiles and garments stay long term in use due to a more classical style or colour, which looks good even when trends are changing. On the other hand a beautiful colour or special style can be the reason to keep the product. In these situations the expressive performance has been above average and resulted in satisfaction, and hence the reason to keep the product has been the beauty experience
Sustainable design
Sustainable design needs to intensify the emotional bond or the satisfaction that consumers experience with the products. From a sustainability perspective it is advisable to design products that offer deep product attachment and satisfaction, which results in durable product relationships. Accordingly the challenge in extending product lifetimes is in achieving continuing satisfaction with the product or forming deep product attachment over time.
Consumers create product attachments through many levels, such as their personal values, emotional values, memories and associations and construction of self. On the other hand some design styles, quality attributes, aesthetic dimensions including a product’s aesthetical ageing process, and moreover functionality aspects enable product attachments to emerge. This paper high lighted design approaches that enable designers to embed these attachment elements and product satisfaction dimensions into the design process and its outcome.
The challenge in extending the product lifetime is in achieving continuing satisfaction with the product or forming deep product attachments through meaningful experiences over time. This chal lenge in sustainable design needs an empathic approach and consumer centred knowledge. An empathic approach helps the designer to understand more deeply the consumers’ needs, values and long term product relationships, and moreover empathic know ledge enables the designer to provide deep product satisfaction as well as opportunities for future product attachments to emerge.
The task is not easy for one designer. This holistic approach to the consumer and his/her product relationships and inner emotional needs differs greatly from the approach in user centred design or research focused on consumer preferences. In the latter the aim is for a short and reflexive emotional response instead of a sustained and reflective response, that is, emotional experience. Hence focusing on extending the product lifetime is an appropriate place to use both multidisciplinary scientific research findings as well as an empathic approach to understand more deeply the individual consumer in our contemporary consumer society. An empathic knowledge base offers a consumer centred insight to the designer, which is of primary importance when promoting sustainable product relationships. Learn more
The challenge in extending the product lifetime is in achieving continuing satisfaction with the product or forming deep product attachments through meaningful experiences over time. This chal lenge in sustainable design needs an empathic approach and consumer centred knowledge. An empathic approach helps the designer to understand more deeply the consumers’ needs, values and long term product relationships, and moreover empathic know ledge enables the designer to provide deep product satisfaction as well as opportunities for future product attachments to emerge.
The task is not easy for one designer. This holistic approach to the consumer and his/her product relationships and inner emotional needs differs greatly from the approach in user centred design or research focused on consumer preferences. In the latter the aim is for a short and reflexive emotional response instead of a sustained and reflective response, that is, emotional experience. Hence focusing on extending the product lifetime is an appropriate place to use both multidisciplinary scientific research findings as well as an empathic approach to understand more deeply the individual consumer in our contemporary consumer society. An empathic knowledge base offers a consumer centred insight to the designer, which is of primary importance when promoting sustainable product relationships. Learn more
For example:
The emotional connection between a person and a thing is created in different ways. For example, through meeting people who participated in its production. Here I immediately remember the Finnish brand Myssyfarmi, for which local grandmothers knit clothes and accessories from eco-wool
Myssy Farmi
