Emotion in the Design Process

Manipulating the design process can be a stressful learning experience and it can be difficult to decide how to resolve design problems. This book explores and illustrates the close relationship between emotion and the design process by using new models and perspectives under the umbrella of ‘design and emotion’.

This book reveals that a greater understanding of design and emotion can inspire design students to explore how emotion can affect their decision-making and design processes. It enables the reader to develop methods to control their emotions to make effective decisions and strengthen their ability to manipulate the design process. Emotion in the Design Process features a study that develops a design process model to make the decision-making processes more transparent. With a focus on the investigation of the ‘intrinsic factors’, this book features quantitative and qualitative research methods. Underpinned by deep-level research, the book outlines the strengths and limitations of the study and reveals the findings to create decision-making models where emotion is considered. Case studies are included to show the theories in practice.

By reading this book, design students, who can be confused by the design process, will be able to grasp it and learn to regulate their emotions as a result whilst also producing better designers that can improve the overall quality and standard of the design industry. As such, this book will appeal most to students, researchers and academics in any field where design is a key task. It will also be of interest to anyone interested in Design and Emotion, Kansei Design and Engineering and Design and Technology.

Amic G. Ho is a design scholar, typographer, and communication designer. He is Assistant Professor and Programme Leader of BFA (Hons) in Imaging Design & Digital Art and BFA (Hons) in Cinematic Design & Photographic Digital Art in the Department of Creative Arts at Hong Kong Metropolitan University. His design expertise and research interests are in typography, emotion and design, and communication design.