Experience Design

Dhaval Vyas

dvyas@few.vu.nlRoom: T-304

Different Approaches to Experience Design

1. “Cultural Probes” – A technique to gather user’s aspirations and needs at an early stage of system design. Bill Gaver, Tony Dunne & Elena Pacenti. (1999)

2. “Four Pleasures” – A design concept to provide pleasurable experiences in systems. Patrick Jordan. (2000)

3. “Technology as Experience” – A framework to analyse experience of a system. John McCarthy & Peter Wright. (2004)

1. Cultural Probes

• Probes – A package of maps, postcards, camera, pictures, media diary, etc.

• Probes are specifically designed material packages given to the potential users to document their private lives, attitudes, aspirations, contexts and experiences.

• Design/art oriented approach was used then an engineering/science oriented, i.e. the focus was more on user’s subjective values then objective needs

First used in the EU funded Presence Project for exploring technologies to increase the presence of the elderly in their local communities.

Gaver et. al (1999)

1. Cultural Probes

Gathered Data

Gaver et. al (1999)

1. Cultural Probes

Final Designs

Gaver et. al (1999)

2. Four Pleasure (Pat Jordan)Pleasure: “the condition of consciousness or sensation induced by the

enjoyment or anticipation of what is felt or viewed as good or desirable; enjoyment, delight, gratification. The opposite of pain.”

Pleasure in Products:

“The Practical, Emotional and Hedonic Benefits Associated with Products”

Practical Benefits

-Outcome of tasks performed on the products, i.e. functional benefits

-E.g. with a washing machine, practical benefits are fresh & clean clothes

Emotional Benefits

-when the product affects the mood of users.

-E.g. using a computer game can be exciting and fun

-E.g. self confidence on wearing new suit

Hedonic Benefits

-Sensory and aesthetic pleasure associated with the product.

-E.g. appreciating the good look and feel of Apple iPod

2. Four Pleasure (Pat Jordan)The Four Pleasures:

A Framework for considering Pleasure with Products

- Physio-pleasure- Socio-Pleasure- Ideo-Pleasure- Psycho-Pleasure

2. Four Pleasure (Pat Jordan)Physio-pleasure

- Pleasure derived from body and the sensory organs

- Touch, test, smell, etc.- Tactile Pleasure – Telephone handset, Remote

control- Olfactory Pleasure – Smell inside a new car

2. Four Pleasure (Pat Jordan)Socio-Pleasure- Pleasure driven from the relationships with

others, may it be friends, family, loved ones, colleagues, or the society as a whole- Products that facilitates social interaction: Mobile

phones, internet chat, SMS, etc.- Products that represents your image in social

contexts

2. Four Pleasure (Pat Jordan)Ideo-Pleasure- About people’s taste, values & aspirations- Taste: for specific colour, shape, style or pattern- Value: philosophical or religious; ethics; love for

environment, etc. (e.g. Toyota)- Aspirations: what people hope to become or want

to see themselves as; e.g. good career, wealthy.

Toyota Environment Friendly Car

Specific choice for Harley Davidson Motor Bikes

2. Four Pleasure (Pat Jordan)Psycho-Pleasure

- Comes from people’s mental or emotional reactions.- The productive goals related with the system- E.g. being able to use the word processor easily and

produce the required documents could lead to psycho-pleasure.

3. Technology as Experience

Four Threads of Experience1. Compositional: How do the elements of an experience fit

together to form a coherent whole? 2. Emotional: What emotions color the experience for us? 3. Spatio-temporal: What effects do place and time have on

our experience? 4. Sensual: What does the design and texture and the

overall atmosphere make us feel?

Compositional Emotional

SensualSpatio-temporal

McCarthy & Wright (2004)

3. Technology as Experience

Anticipating: We never come to technology unprejudiced

Connecting: We make a judgement in an instant and without much thought

Interpreting: We work out what’s going on and how we work out

Reflecting: We examine and evaluate what’s happening in an interaction

Appropriating: We work out how a new experience fits with other experiences we have had and with our sense of self

Recounting: We enjoy storytelling and make sense of experience in stories.

McCarthy & Wright (2004)

3. Technology as Experience

Used this framework on the products of Virgin Brand..

… Virgin Website, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Mega-stores, etc.

Procedure:

-First, introduced the framework to the participants and provided them with a notebook -come- checklist

-In the notebook, the page was divided into sections corresponding to the sense making processes (e.g. anticipating connecting, interpreting etc.) and it was accompanied by a checklist of concepts and guide words from the framework

-Participants were then asked to go off and have their virgin experiences.

-In addition to their diary, they provided an oral account during a one-on-one debriefing afterwards

-The gathered data facilitated the construction of a narrative of the experience that would engage with the concepts of the framework

McCarthy & Wright (2004)

3. Technology as ExperienceExample Data:

Anticipating (before) • Expect to find what I am looking for. Environment likely to be young, lively,

loud music, packed full of products, very visible virgin branding.• Expect things to be ordered in a certain way, e.g. Pop, Classical, R+B etc.

grouped together.

Anticipation (during) • Surprised that singles were not on main floor, surprised to find shop opens

onto Coffee Republic' surprised by depth of product range

Connecting, interpreting, reflecting• First impressions confirmed what I had anticipated. Shop was spacious and

airy, which I was surprised about. Experience starts from moment you walk in the door ….felt relaxed in shop. There is no logic to the layout in the shop… don’t think that they want you simply to walk in buy something and walk out again. I feel in control. The only thing I was disappointed about was price- I expected Virgin to be cheaper.

Recounting• I would tell people to shop there, but would warn them that they might find

the same thing cheaper elsewhere.

McCarthy & Wright (2004)

Let’s have a Practical Example

Persona as an Approach to Experience Design

• Product — Portable Music Player

• Target Group — Teenage Girls

Persona as an Approach to Experience DesignPersona —

Gabriella Mendez

Gabriella Mendez• 18 year old student• living in Barcelona • studying music in high-school • very ambitious and wants make a career in the music industry• loves R&B, Hip-hop and Ragge music and has music CDs of

almost all R&B stars.• staying at the school hostel but keeps regular contact with

her parents• whenever in her room, she always listens to music on her

computer. Her room is full of posters of movie/pop stars.• keen sports player – an active member of the school’s

basketball team• cares for her fitness, sometimes goes out for drinks with

team-mates• dating Carlos, an 18 year old student in the same school• eating out at restaurants and going to the musical shows• friends slightly envious of her lifestyle

Physio-Product Characters

• Feels good in the hand• Easy to carry around• Fits well and comfortably inside

her pocket• Operable without causing damage

to fingernails• Should have aesthetic looks

Socio-Product Characters

• Should convey her socio-economic & cultural status

• Should convey her interests in music

• Should be competitive amongst her friend circle

Psycho-Product Characters

• Supports quick and intuitive operations

• Good quality music• Personalization of music• Durable Batteries

Ideo-Product Characters

• Gives aesthetic pleasure• Reflects users’ femininity• Environmentally friendly (not too

noisy for others)

Gabriella’s Portable Music PlayerPhysio-Product Characters:• Feels good in the hand• Easy to carry around• Fits well and comfortably

inside her pocket• Operable without causing

damage to fingernails• Should have aesthetic looks

Socio-Product Characters:• Should convey her socio-

economic & cultural status• Should convey her interests

in music• Should be competitive

amongst her friend circle

Psycho-Product Characters:• Supports quick and intuitive

operations• Good quality music• Personalization of music• Durable Batteries

Ideo-Product Characters:• Gives aesthetic pleasure• Reflects users’ femininity• Environmentally friendly

(not too noisy for others)

Student Exercise

Develop product benefit specification for your problems

- Work in Groups- Student Discussion

Thank You !

Further questions and queries are welcome.

Dhaval VyasRoom T-304, Informatica Section

dvyas@few.vu.nl