User-centric design and Kansei Engineering

Kansei Engineering is a Japanese originated technique that is often used to provide information on a sensual level in the application of products to markets. This paper explores a method of applying Kansei as part of a product design creative process. It explores the use of face-value testing through web-based pictorial questionnaires, firstly applied to a range of existing products, and then to two new product proposals created from information gained in the first questionnaire. The paper then considers if this technique demonstrates a development in the design process that can reasonably be considered to increase product success.