Description
The purpose of the course is to provide the participant with an introduction to the area "affective design" or “affective engineering”. The objectives are that the participant will develop a basic knowledge of:

• the experiential relation between consumer and product;
• existing theories and models; and
• methods and tools for identifying affective needs and requirements and evaluating design solutions from an affective perspective.

Having successfully completed the course, the participant should be able to:

• describe existing theories regarding the experiential relation between consumer and product;
• define and differentiate between key concepts, such as affect, emotion, feeling, and pleasure
• define and differentiate between key concepts, such as product semiotics, product semantics, the communicative product functions (to describe, to express, to exhort, to identify);
• analyse and reflect upon the relation between technical properties and perceived product qualities;
• describe, differentiate between and reflect upon engineering, psychological and design approaches to affective design;
• describe and apply a set of chosen methods and tools for identifying affective needs and requirements and for evaluating design solutions from an affective perspective

Content
The course will focus on the following three areas:

• What are meant by key concepts, such as affect, pleasure, and emotion in relation to product design?
• What theories and models exist, useful in the area of design for experience?
• What methods and tools are available for identifying and evaluation affective and hedonic product qualities?

Scope
Web based course with web lectures, on-line discussions and assignments.  The course material is accessed through a web-based learning platform. All activities and communication with teachers and other participants is done using the platform. The course is given during an approximate period of 20 weeks. Course language is English. The lecturers in the course are researchers from Chalmers and invited lecturers from Delft University, University of Art and Design Helsinki and Linköping University.

Course literature
- Jordan P. (2000), Designing pleasurable products. An introduction to the new human factors. Taylor & Francis. UK.
- Norman D. (2004), Emotional design. Why we love (or hate) everyday things. Basic Books, NY. 
- Selected scientific journal papers

Course literature is not included in the course fee.

Course examiner
Professor MariAnne Karlsson, Department for Product and Production Development, Division of Design and Human Factors, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden. Telephone: +46  31 772 1108
mak@chalmers.se

Contact

If you want more information contact Tuula Bergqvist.

Phone: +46 31 772 42 00
Mobile: +46 70 609 93 22
E-mail: tuula.bergqvist@chalmers.se