Emotive Form Design

Abstract

Emotions are recognised as vital for human wellbeing and happiness, so are objects. However, studies on the practical use of emotions in product design remain limited. This academic project promoted the pedagogical encounter between emotions/dyads and the morphology/shape of products, based on the Plutchik’s Emotion Wheel. The purpose is to improve and develop future designers’ awareness of the emotive character of forms. In a visual thinking exercise, first-year students chose eight basic emotions to develop the forms of an ‘emotional chair’, drawing with pencil and paper to allow visual thinking and interpretation. The findings suggest that the Emotion Wheel is useful to reflect and manipulate forms to convey meaning, helping designers understand how to use emotive shapes for idea development and decision-making in the design process. This paper can contribute to teaching product design targeting emotional products, and offers guidance on how to evoke positive emotions through products. Keywords: Product design, drawing, emotions, forms.