Constraints and consumer response in product design

A good design attracts consumers to a product, communicates to them, and adds value to the product by increasing the quality of the usage experiences associated with it. This paper discusses constraints and consumer response in product design. The product design is determined by the set of goals and constraints applicable to the design project. Consumer behaviour presents response to products as comprising cognition and affect, which are followed by behaviour. Emphasis is placed on the aesthetic, semantic and symbolic aspects of cognitive response to design. The accompanying affective and behavioural responses are also discussed and the interaction between cognitive and affective response is considered. All aspects of response are presented as the final stage in a process of communication between the design team and the consumer. The good design criteria have been discussed in relation to consumer emotional responses and a selection of these has been given as examples.