International Journal of

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This paper is based on the research which was conducted earlier on Kansei Engineering (KE) and resulted in a new concept for scissors to redesign it with another method called “User Centered Design” (UCD). This is a shift from translation of the consumers’ psychological feeling about a product related to their perception of the design (KE) to focus on designing for and involving users in the design process (UCD). According to UCD process, after understanding and specifying the context of use, specifying the requirements and evaluation of KE concept were simultaneously (by 52 users, 30 female and 22 male), next steps were producing design solutions and evaluating those solutions about requirements (by 41 subjects, 26 female and 15 male). Specifying the requirements and evaluations were by usability test via focus groups and interviews. The final concept obtained high available satisfaction rates defined in the research project. In addition, some comfort design factors for hand tools (e.g. reducing wrist bent while working and reduction of hand pain) were measured and the new designed product achieved a highly satisfactory result. At last a comparison between UCD and KE had been done.This paper is based on the research which was conducted earlier on Kansei Engineering and resulted in a new concept for scissors to redesign it with another method called “User Centered Design” (UCD). Kansei Engineering (KE) as a kind of human ergonomic technology refers to the translation of the consumers’ psychological feeling about a product related to their perception of the design. UCD is a general term for a method which focuses on designing for and involving users in the design process. It can effectively be substituted with those methods only covering the surface requirements of users. UCD includes iterative design and evaluation through gathering the user requirements and understanding the context of use. The collected and produced data yielded some new ideas as well while being eventually evaluated by end-users. The final concept obtained high available satisfaction rates defined in the research project. In addition, some comfort design factors for hand tools (e.g. reducing wrist bent while working and reduction of hand pain) were measured and the new designed product achieved a highly satisfactory result.

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Today Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a powerful development method whit a wide range of applications to translate customers’ needs into technical requirements for achieving customer satisfaction. The current study demonstrated a QFD analysis to improve school furniture design in Tehran as the baseline of Iran. Accordingly, we extended the widely used QFD method into a complex set of customer demands about the school furniture and showed the step-by-step application of QFD that focused on the firs matrix known as House of Quality matrix. The study started by identifying the problem statement, specifying the objectives and designing the scopes of school furniture. 160 students recruited from three high schools located in different areas of Tehran participated in our study. Student’s requirements were collected and translated into the technical requirements using QFD method. Data gathering was carried out through survey, questionnaire distribution and structured interview. Subsequently, the collected data was analysed to find the best solutions for the problems. Obtained results from House of Quality matrix evaluation, were used to provide suggestions and solutions to reduce the problems. The present case study shows that QFD method can help demonstrators to ascertain inter relationship between operation requirements and measures of performance.
 

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Designers can use the story, as a common language, to improve the packaging of cultural artifacts. Knife packaging, as one of the most important handicrafts of Zanjan province, can be a factor in supplying and selling this product in domestic and foreign markets. The main objectives of this research were to provide a design process for designing products related to emotions. To this end, a collection of stories related to this product was extracted; 30 users were surveyed and questioned as a sample. This study uses a descriptive-analytical method. In the descriptive part we have studied the storytelling method in the design process and in the analytical section we offered a checklist of stories and proverbs and examined them. Finally, the best story was chosen, and the knife was designed using the principles of storyboarding and scenario planning and considering the story-based packaging designed by principles. After taking time to make sure that the questionnaire was fully understood by the user and conducting the survey, the data were extracted, and statistical analysis was performed. The feedback of the users was reviewed and according to the results, it can be found out that the principles of the story in Zanjan knife packaging design have a significant effect on the interaction and emotions of users.

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In today's global market, products that meet users' emotional needs are more likely to succeed. Emotional design involves designers incorporating affective thought and user emotions to create a strong emotional connection between the user and the product. Culture plays a significant role in emotional design and user interaction. This study focuses on redesigning dinnerware based on Iran's tradition and cultural heritage. From the viewpoint of design parameters, five historical pottery periods, namely the Samanid, Seljuq, Ilkhanid, Timurid, and Safavid periods, were analyzed, and results were collected. A cultural design model was then created using Kano's questionnaire, which was distributed to thirty participants, both male and female, who were presented with questions related to the redesign of dinnerware. Kano's questionnaire included 16 questions about glazes, colors, patterns, and some of the design ideas used in the vessels from each historical period. A graphical image representing the outstanding pottery of each era was prepared and shown to participants. The results were analyzed using statistical approaches, revealing the cultural-emotional needs of users when interacting with the product. The results indicate a higher preference among Iranian users for ceramic features from the Timurid period. Additionally, the findings suggest that incorporating Sasanian patterns and simple arabesques into the vessels will better attract Iranian users. This approach helps create a more effective and engaging product for users.
 

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Ergonomics and aesthetics are two critical factors in the product design process that can influence the quality and efficiency of products. Since a comprehensive and systematic framework for examining the synergy between ergonomics and aesthetic criteria in product design has not yet been presented, this review study aims to explore this dual relationship. This research employs a systematic review method, utilizing the Scopus and Google Scholar databases. Out of an initial 262 articles, after several stages of evaluation, 44 articles were selected for the final review. The insights and findings from the literature review in this field and various research methods were combined and categorized into a conceptual framework. The results of this review article can provide designers with new insights into the design of ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing products. Additionally, it can pave the way for new research studies for researchers interested in product design research methods.
 

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Background: In Kansei Engineering, measuring user emotions often relies on self-report methods, which can be biased and imprecise. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) offers a more objective way to assess emotions that are implicitly and non-consciously expressed. Aim: This study investigates whether the IAT can serve as a precise and less biased tool for measuring affective responses in Kansei Engineering. Methods: We developed a software platform to record participants’ reaction times (n=16) as they categorized product stimuli (reception chairs, n=9) with Kansei-related words. Faster responses were assumed to indicate stronger or more confident opinions, providing a potential metric for emotional intensity. Results: The data revealed a W-shaped distribution of reaction scores, with high concentrations at both extremes and in the middle. This deviates from the expected normal distribution, indicating that participants tended to hold either strong or neutral opinions, while moderate opinions were rare. This pattern emerged through an implicit cognitive measure rather than self-reporting, suggesting it reflects underlying cognitive mechanisms. Conclusion: This finding aligns with the "gap instinct," which posits that humans tend to dichotomize their experiences to reduce cognitive load. The results indicate that the IAT offers a valuable tool for enhancing the measurement of affective responses in Kansei Engineering by capturing these implicit, underlying cognitive tendencies