Contents Toward a research culture Theory-centered approach User-centered approach Education-centered approach Innovation-centered approach Context-centered approach

Josiena Gotzsch Groupe ESC Grenoble Beautiful and meaningful products In a competitive market situation the aesthetic and semantic qualities of a product have become very important. Next to the functionality of the product, aesthetic and semantic product aspects should be more efficiently included in the product development process. During the last decades product design has moved from a rational approach towards a more psychological approach in which aesthetics and semantics have gained in importance. Expressions from designers illustrate this movement. Propositions have been made in the past to develop tools to facilitate the integration of aesthetic and semantic product aspects. The second part of this article gives an overview of the different theories and opinions concerning these communicative product aspects. Furthermore a proposition is made to adapt the existing theory of product language by integrating psychological preferences and different human needs. This proposition, called “Product Message Structure”, is closely linked with the needs presented in Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. The objective is to develop a tool for product managers and designers, which is applicable to today’s integration of semantic product aspects. Further research, as proposed in the third part, is needed to test and perform this tool. ← back | download 32 Kb pg146.zip