Researching First Contact Emotional Responses to Products

This paper provides an overview of research at the inception stage of a PhD design research project. It describes an initial pilot study and its outcomes as a practical means of determining the direction and emphasis of the research. The paper will make reference to an ongoing literature review into aesthetics, ergonomics and semiotics, to provide theoretical underpinning to the project and the general context for the pilot study. The pilot study seeks to establish what role design might play in effecting experiences during first contact with a product. The aim is to qualitatively investigate the initial emotional responses to a product within a fixed time period; and what general and specific aspects of the design influenced those responses. The analysis, evaluation and outcomes of this study will be presented in the paper as a basis for further development of the PhD design research project. The paper is part of research being developed by the Creative Design Research Group and taught on design courses, in the School of Design, Engineering and Computing at Bournemouth University. The paper illustrates how this can support the education and development of product and engineering design students in design education.