An exploratory study in conceptualizing user view on digital taste using design thinking

Abstract

Experiencing food involves the accumulation of multiple senses, experienced through visuals, auditory and palatability. There has been significant growth in digitizing taste using electrical and thermal components to stimulate taste sensations where users need to lick devices or place a metal peripheral on their tongue. Such unnatural interaction appears undesirable motivating us to explore if taste experience could be stimulated by just viewing images of food on a digital platform such as a website or mobile application. This places considerable emphasis on understanding user association to food images and the perceived food taste. Inability to understand their needs before-hand may result into a technological artefact with poor potentiality to trigger taste experience and not excite them to try the food they view on a digital platform. Using Design Thinking as an approach, we were able to identify user perceptions and expectations from digital food images as well as their desires on how such images could trigger their interest to try the food. This paper presents the findings from the Design Thinking excursions, the resulting Digital Food-Taste Experience Design Model and strategy for the next phase of research.