Affective and pleasurable values that ergonomics provides to the product design inspired and produced from natural Amazon resources

Abstract

For centuries, people have created and refined products. Nowadays the consumers are looking for emotional benefits rather than utilitarian performance. The challenge today is to switch from material product dimensions to a holistic view of consumer experience. The design products inspired by natural elements and produced by raw natural materials may contribute to this satisfaction. Through ergonomic inputs about the human factors on multisensory perception of a product, we conducted a study to identify the affective and pleasure values, and to estimate their pertinence, in a product conception inspired and produced with natural Amazon resources. A quantitative technique, based on a questionnaire during a product exhibition, was employed. People appreciate the use of natural raw materials in the creation of new products, preferring mainly to natural product finishes preferring mainly to natural product finishes, its unique character, the textures and the historical and cultural values. The implications and limitations of the approach are discussed and further research steps indicated.