Abstract
The emergence of cultural pluralism in today’s markets presents unlimited economic opportunities and challenges in terms of industrial competition. Through effective designs, intangible cultural features transform into tangible products with economic values. Moreover, through the success of ethnic target marketing, products with cultural symbols or traditions have differentiated themselves from other industrial products in the increasingly homogeneous market. Embedding cultural relevance into product design does not only tap into the regional feelings of potential consumers but also creates original contexts for innovation. Thus, developing soft and emotional power through individual cultural artifacts in industries that function as symbolic identities and meanings with origin is crucial. The current study intends to generate the essential concepts of cultural products to structure the potential development of design innovation. In the current work, we review the related literature and existing design principles of cultural products. We then conduct a series of empirical studies through an expert focus group. In addition, we perform a peer review with card-sorting analysis, which examines 40 selected images of individual products. Finally, we use expert interviews in examining the outcomes. The triangulation concept is also used throughout the entire investigation process for validation and verification. Based on the findings, a design model for a culture-oriented product as a concentric circle is developed to provide designers with a culture-oriented product design model when designing cultural contexts for consumers.
Keywords
innovation, cultural-oriented product, design model, focus group
Citation
Chuang, Y., and Chang, T. (2012) Next Innovation Playground: A culturaloriented product design model, in Israsena, P., Tangsantikul, J. and Durling, D. (eds.), Research: Uncertainty Contradiction Value - DRS International Conference 2012, 1-4 July, Bangkok, Thailand. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2012/researchpapers/23
Next Innovation Playground: A culturaloriented product design model
The emergence of cultural pluralism in today’s markets presents unlimited economic opportunities and challenges in terms of industrial competition. Through effective designs, intangible cultural features transform into tangible products with economic values. Moreover, through the success of ethnic target marketing, products with cultural symbols or traditions have differentiated themselves from other industrial products in the increasingly homogeneous market. Embedding cultural relevance into product design does not only tap into the regional feelings of potential consumers but also creates original contexts for innovation. Thus, developing soft and emotional power through individual cultural artifacts in industries that function as symbolic identities and meanings with origin is crucial. The current study intends to generate the essential concepts of cultural products to structure the potential development of design innovation. In the current work, we review the related literature and existing design principles of cultural products. We then conduct a series of empirical studies through an expert focus group. In addition, we perform a peer review with card-sorting analysis, which examines 40 selected images of individual products. Finally, we use expert interviews in examining the outcomes. The triangulation concept is also used throughout the entire investigation process for validation and verification. Based on the findings, a design model for a culture-oriented product as a concentric circle is developed to provide designers with a culture-oriented product design model when designing cultural contexts for consumers.