Designing for user experiences in specific contexts

Abstract

In saturated consumer markets, consumer choices often depend on subtle product differences that contribute positively to their user experiences. Hence, it is important for designers to be able to create products that elicit different experiences. In this chapter we discuss a design approach that takes the creation of specific user experience as a starting point. The approach aims for improvement beyond product functionality and user friendliness in order to make products that really fulfil important, often latent needs in people’s lives. Experience-driven design involves determining what experience to aim for and, subsequently, to design something that will evoke that experience.