Kansei Model: How do you design for user delight and the five senses?
Plan your product design by creating a multi-sensory experience.
It's late at night, and you're sitting in a messy room. The glue has spilled, the paper shreds are strewn around, the lids of some alcohol markers are missing, you are covered in paint, your hand is burnt with hot glue, and the thermocol is flying everywhere. Suddenly the door to your room opens with effort, and your friend tip-toes in between a pile of wasted prototypes and stationery to hand you your dumpling appetizer and your favorite -General Tso's tofu.
You both make some clearing in the room, place boxes of Chinese take-out in the middle, and sit around it.
"…We have been working on this product for quite a long time. I think we are missing something…" your friend tells you, chewing boorishly on the Sushi and chugalugging some Fanta.
You stop chewing for a moment.
"What do you think we're missing?" you ask out of genuine curiosity, entangled with some worry.
"I don't think we are looking at the product correctly. We are not going anywhere like this. We need a proper plan!" your friend exclaims, motioning for you to get his laptop.
You clean yourself and pack the leftovers. You place it on the table in the corner of the room for later.
You follow his directions and quickly reach for the laptop on the table.
Your friend opens the laptop and begins his process.
"Now, I'm going to ask you some basic questions for which we already know answers, but it's for the process, so trust me on this one, ok?"
"Sounds good," you agree.
The Interrogation
(Note: F = Friend, Y= you)
F: "So, what product are we working on?"
Y: "We are working on creating a portable washing machine."
F: "Do we already have a working prototype?"
Y: "Yes, we have a rough working model."
F: "Can you assure me that people will react well to the product?"
Y: "I am not sure about this one. We haven't tested it with people yet."
F: "Can you assure me that the product will delight users?"
Y: "I would like to think so. But I can't assure you of that, no."
F: "Ok, let's change that. Let me show you something!"
The Kansei Framework
Your friend immediately whips out a notepad and begins sketching out something. You glance at it.
Y: "Wow..this looks very complex."
F: "Not very. Come, I'll explain it to you."
First, write down the various actions through time performed by a user from Left to Right and then write the senses involved in each action.
Now, write down the properties related to each sense + action. E.g., When the user first looks at the portable washing machine, the immediate properties the user will notice are its color and shape.
Map the sense + action to properties.
From the Top-down, write the factors you think bring delight to the user.
Map the properties to the delight factors.
There are two ways to connect them- they can be evaluated/expected.
This framework will help you think about the factors contributing to bringing delight to the user while using the product.
Y: Ok, I understand it better now.
F: That's great! What are we waiting for? Let's get to work!
You both pull the whiteboard and start brainstorming for the factors your friend mapped in the Kansei matrix.
You realize the tool has helped you think about different aspects of bringing delight to the user concerning the senses involved in each step.
Citations
Yanagisawa, Hideyoshi & Nakano, Sohya & Murakami, Tamotsu. (2016). A Proposal of Kansei Database Framework and Kansei Modelling Methodology for the Delight Design Platform. Journal of Integrated Design and Process Science. 20. 1–12. 10.3233/jid-2016–0014.
I’m Nitya, a UX practitioner. I’m always looking to write the most interesting design stories out there and bring you new information to help you be the best innovator you are! Follow me to read more such interesting articles to improve and upskill yourself :)
