Abstract
This paper aims to provide insights into how users respond when products fail to deliver value. It is based on a cross-cultural ethnographic study on users’ value assignment to kitchen appliances. Findings suggest that users tend to develop some way of making up for the low value delivered by the product. The ways of dealing with the problem of increasing the practical and social outcomes of interaction with products are called value-compensating strategies. The paper describes the applications of these value strategies with (1) unique local products, (2) products that are owned but not used, (3) products used in a unique way, (4) two or more products that serve the same function, and (5) products users might have owned but did not. The failure to deliver value is related to the lack of suitability of product properties to local behaviors, systems, or meanings. Practical applications for design practice are also discussed.
Keywords
user-centered design, user value, social and cultural human factors
Citation
Boztepe, S. (2006) Value Compensating Strategies, in Friedman, K., Love, T., Côrte-Real, E. and Rust, C. (eds.), Wonderground - DRS International Conference 2006, 1-4 November, Lisbon, Portugal. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2006/researchpapers/37
Value Compensating Strategies
This paper aims to provide insights into how users respond when products fail to deliver value. It is based on a cross-cultural ethnographic study on users’ value assignment to kitchen appliances. Findings suggest that users tend to develop some way of making up for the low value delivered by the product. The ways of dealing with the problem of increasing the practical and social outcomes of interaction with products are called value-compensating strategies. The paper describes the applications of these value strategies with (1) unique local products, (2) products that are owned but not used, (3) products used in a unique way, (4) two or more products that serve the same function, and (5) products users might have owned but did not. The failure to deliver value is related to the lack of suitability of product properties to local behaviors, systems, or meanings. Practical applications for design practice are also discussed.