The Language of Emotion-Driven Innovation

Emotion knowledge is the accurate knowledge of the phenomenon of emotions, the conditions for eliciting the emotions and their behavioural manifestations (Desmet et al., Emotion measurement. Woodhead Publishing, 2016). Emotions exist between the subject (the person experiencing the emotion) and the stimulus (the object provoking the emotion). Emotions are subjective; individuals can feel differently towards the same stimulus, including products (Desmet, Designing emotions. Delft University of Technology, Department of Industrial Design, 2002). When people are asked to express their emotional state, it’s generally easy for them to distinguish between pleasant and unpleasant experiences. However, difficulties arise when they are required to describe their emotions in a more nuanced or refined manner, as their vocabulary may seem inadequate for such detailed expression. When creating products to evoke particular emotions, it is crucial to consider how emotions are linguistically expressed, drawing on classifications from scientific literature. This book aligns with positive design’s goals, which emphasises not just product pleasure but also enhancing individual well-being (Pohlmeyer, International conference of design, user experience, and usability. Springer, 2013). Positive design aims to boost well-being through design for pleasure (momentary interactions with a product), virtue (happiness from virtuous behaviour promoted by a product), and personal significance (happiness from products aligning with one’s goals, values, and ideas) (Desmet & Pohlmeyer, Positive design: An introduction to design for subjective well-being. International Journal of Design, 2013).