Abstract
Products that are emotionally bonded are more likely to be successful in the market than those that are not. Emotional bonding is defined as product attachment. It induces positive relationships between user and product by offering a more expansive, holistic approach to design for higher longevity from the sustainability perspective. Although it is an important factor in product development, little research has been done towards understanding product attachment, especially for home appliances. The study aimed to further understanding of product attachment in home appliance design. A total of ten home appliances were selected by cross-mapping of physical interaction density and physical distance. A questionnaire and in-depth interviews were used to identify product attachment determinants and the reason for the user’s emotional experience in exploring design opportunities. The results indicate, although the users' age, cultural and ethnic features inevitably affect to the emotional evaluation in the product experience, that physical distance has less impact on product attachment, but higher physical interaction density could increase the emotional bonding opportunities between users and appliances. Among the 4 product attachment determinants, the self-expression element shows a low response to the home appliance. In the low attachment group, the pleasure element is found to be noticeably insufficient. The discussion for the product attachment approach in the appliances broadens a new perspective of design consideration in designing emotional experiences.
Keywords
Product Attachment, Emotional Bonding, Home Appliance Design, Design Strategy, Emotional Design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2023.549
Citation
Han, G., Self, J.A.,and Kim, C.(2023) An investigation into the product attachment between single-person household and their home appliances, in De Sainz Molestina, D., Galluzzo, L., Rizzo, F., Spallazzo, D. (eds.), IASDR 2023: Life-Changing Design, 9-13 October, Milan, Italy. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2023.549
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An investigation into the product attachment between single-person household and their home appliances
Products that are emotionally bonded are more likely to be successful in the market than those that are not. Emotional bonding is defined as product attachment. It induces positive relationships between user and product by offering a more expansive, holistic approach to design for higher longevity from the sustainability perspective. Although it is an important factor in product development, little research has been done towards understanding product attachment, especially for home appliances. The study aimed to further understanding of product attachment in home appliance design. A total of ten home appliances were selected by cross-mapping of physical interaction density and physical distance. A questionnaire and in-depth interviews were used to identify product attachment determinants and the reason for the user’s emotional experience in exploring design opportunities. The results indicate, although the users' age, cultural and ethnic features inevitably affect to the emotional evaluation in the product experience, that physical distance has less impact on product attachment, but higher physical interaction density could increase the emotional bonding opportunities between users and appliances. Among the 4 product attachment determinants, the self-expression element shows a low response to the home appliance. In the low attachment group, the pleasure element is found to be noticeably insufficient. The discussion for the product attachment approach in the appliances broadens a new perspective of design consideration in designing emotional experiences.