Afforded exploration: An approach to novel yet understandable product experiences

Abstract

A product’s form and related affordances, together with interaction possibilities, have a significant influence on the user’s emotional response. Although interaction influences the user’s product experience, little is known of how product interaction may best provide opportunities for novel yet understandably familiar product-user experiences. The purpose of this study is to contribute to understanding the contradictory relationship between novelty and acceptability in product design, with a focus on product interaction. Adopting a research-through-design approach, four bottle designs were developed and prototyped. Two dichotomous theoretical constructs were applied to the four designs: Explanatory-Affordance, Exploratory-Affordance, Explanatory-DisAffordance and Exploratory-DisAffordance-Based designs. The four constructs broadly relate to the types of product interactions afforded through interaction with the four bottle designs. Affordance and DisAffordance-Based designs refer to the product’s ability to afford an understanding of use through form and other signifiers. Explanatory-Exploratory-Based design suggests the extent to which a user may exploratively interact with the product. The four bottle designs were used as stimuli to collect participants’ emotional response under controlled conditions. We confirmed the significant impact of an exploitive approach to product interaction for increased positive response and stimulation of novelty in product appraisal. Moreover, affordance, while not stimulating positive emotion on its own, may provide opportunity for reassurance and acceptability during product interaction when combined with an explorative design approach.