Guiding Emotions: An Emotion-tracking Approach to Rectify Design Experience and Process

Emotions play a crucial role in the design process, yet junior design students often struggle to manage their emotional changes while creating. This title bridges the gap in design education by illuminating how emotional intelligence serves as a powerful tool for inspiration and decision-making. This investigation takes a new perspective on emotions in design projects, contrasting it with traditional approaches that prioritise technical skills and reasoning over emotional awareness. The focus of this title is to deliver accessible strategies to monitor and manage the reader’s emotional responses during projects.

This book presents a Phase-by-Phase Emotional Configuration Model alongside a taxonomy of tactics for concept creation, selection and prototyping. Through empirical research, 40 essential emotions linked to design were identified and validated using advanced emotion tracking techniques, including mobile applications and facial expression analysis. Case studies and reflective activities provide practical guidelines for emotional self-regulation throughout the design journey. By integrating these tools into their practice, readers will develop the ability to harness emotions as creative catalysts rather than obstacles, ultimately producing more resonant and effective design solutions.

Guiding Emotions: An Emotion-Tracking Approach to Rectify Design Experience and Process is for professionals, educators, students and researchers of design, human factors and creative industries.

Amic G. Ho is a design scholar and researcher specialising in the intersection of emotion, art and design. His work focuses on the role of emotion in the creative process, aiming to create holistic experiences that integrate art, design, education and technology. Dr Ho holds a PhD in Design Studies from the University of Hong Kong, along with an MEd and MDes, and has published extensively in academic books, journals and conference proceedings. He has led collaborative projects funded by local and international grants, producing impactful findings. As a book series editor at Taylor & Francis Group, Dr Ho has overseen influential works on Design, Emotion and Creativity. His recent publications include Emotion in the Design Process: Intrinsic Factors on Emotion Management for Decision-making (2023) and Emotion Guideline Workbook: Managing the Design Process (2024) published by Taylor & Francis Group. Dr Ho also serves as Chair and Editor for the International Conference on Human Factors in Communication of Design (AHFE) and the International Symposium on Creative Technology and Digital Media (AHFE). Through his research, publications and leadership roles, Dr Ho continues to advance the understanding of emotion in design, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.