A systematic approach for deducing multi-dimensional modeling features design rules based on user-oriented experiments

Since the combined effects of the product’s various modeling features contribute to a large extend to consumers’ perceptual evaluation of the product, it is of high necessity for designers to make exhaustive research on the mental feeling aroused by the product’s multi-dimensional modeling features (MMFs) if they intend to design a product that echoes users’ affective needs. By deconstructing the product components into human interface elements (HIEs) from the perspective of multi-sense channel, this thesis advances a layered general deconstruction method, and deconstructs, with cell phones as samples, 90-multiple MMFs. Then on the basis of the testers’ image evaluation of 20 cell phone samples in connection with the given affection, multiple linear regression technique is employed to establish the Kansei Engineering (KE) model of product MMFs and affection. Lastly, the partial regression coefficient values derived from regression calculation are used to determine the key design features, and the negative and positive natures of the values are employed to deduce the effect of modeling features’ variation trend on the expression of affection. In this process, design rules for key MMFs are formulated to guide the cell phone’s affection design.Relevance to industryA product’s possession of the user-needed affection has become a key factor to increase the product’s market competitiveness. Knowledge of the product image brought about by the interplay of multi-dimensional modeling features (MMFs) like a product’s shape, color, and materials will help reduce the deviation of product image from the user’s real feelings. The formulation of MMFs design rules will help product designers to flexibly coordinate the features that play key roles in the expression of affection. Although the design rules are deduced from the case of cell phones, the deduction method of products and the deduce method of MMFs’ design rules, however, are also applicable to other products. The method of deductive system for MMFs design rules will provide an effective mechanism in promoting the Kansei design of consumer-oriented products.

► A layered general deconstruction method is proposed to acquire the multi-dimensional modeling features of product.
► Taking cell phones as an example, 90-multiple multi-dimensional modeling features are obtained by the deconstruction method.
► The KE model of multi-dimensional variables is constructed by adopting multiple linear regression technique.
► The multi-dimensional modeling features design rules are deduced based on the related data of KE model.