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Understanding the Home Environment
The interplay between these factors and mental health is complex,
and future research will delve into emotional design and the effect of
The home environment plays a crucial role in the mental health of
light on emotions. The work of Sara Lindberg (2023) serves as a
individuals with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This summary
highlights the impact of living environments on mental well-being and foundation for un
explores interaction design solutions to enhance the quality of life for those affected
those with SAD. Key environmental factors include:
Emotional Design
Aesthetics: Clutter can induce stress, whereas organized and
aesthetically pleasing spaces promote calmness and happiness.
Emotional design is a field that has garnered significant attention
from design experts and academics in recent years. It involves
Sensory Elements: Lighting, temperature, and sounds significantly
creating designs that evoke emotions to foster positive user
affect comfort levels, with harsh sensory inputs potentially causing
experiences. This approach to design is rooted in the understanding
anxiety.
that emotions play a pivotal role in how users interact with and
Social Interactions: The quality of interpersonal relationships
perceive products and brands. (The Interaction Design Foundation,
within one’s environment can either contribute to stress or foster
2016) defines emotional design as the practice of designing products
peace.
Familiarity: Familiar objects can trigger positive emotions and a
to elicit specific emotions, aiming to create favourable experiences.
sense of belonging, whereas reminders of past traumas can induce
The framework for emotional design, as introduced by (Don Norman,
anxiety.
2004), a renowned designer and author, is centred around three
Climate: Local weather patterns and natural disasters can
exacerbate mental health issues, with climate change being a notable cognitive dimensio
dimensions are designed to engage users at different levels of
factor in increasing rates of depression and PTSD.
cognitive processing, sometimes incorporating
Chapter 02: Research
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH - LITERATURE REVIEW
How It Applies to this Project User-Centred Design Process: The project will incorporat
This project aims to develop a user-centric solution guided by Don continuous user fee
Design iterations will be informed by this feedback, ensuring the final
Norman’s Emotional Design Principles, focusing on creating a
product that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional solution resonates
and enjoyable to use. the established emotional design principles.
The goal is to create a solution that not only meets the immediate
Project Overview: The initiative seeks to design a product that
elicits positive emotions right from the initial visual engagement, needs of users but
adhering to the Visceral phase of emotional design. It will ensure the leading to a ha
significance.
product’s effectiveness and user pleasure during the Behavioural
phase, prioritising intuitive functionality for an enjoyable user
experience. In the Reflective phase, the project will evaluate the The Influence of Ligh
long-term impact on users, aiming to cultivate lasting positive The study of light’s i
physiological and psychological effects. Light, a form of radiation
experiences that enhance brand loyalty and satisfaction.
Methodology: To align the solution with user needs, the project will within the electr
Research and Design Project
employ a mixed-method research strategy, starting with quantitative by its spectral di
wavelength. Visible light ranges from 380 to 780 nm (Blume et al., 2019).
surveys distributed to the general public. This will be complemented
by qualitative interviews with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) 1. Circadian Rhythms:
patients and medical professionals. The data gathered will be processes influencing phy
analysed using an exploratory sequential mixed-method approach to suprachiasmatic nucle
identify design opportunities. rhythms, aligning our internal biological cycles with th
cycle (Blume et al., 2019).