Evidence-Based Emotional Design
Translate a target consumer experience into a testable development brief. EmoSpin helps define the objective, identify variables that may contribute to it and organise research that informs product development.
From the brief to the specification
Target experience
Experience brief
Variables and hypotheses
Initial specification
Prototype comparisons
Revised specification
Evaluation
Scientific report and final specification
Prototype findings refine the hypotheses and specification at each iteration.
When to use this approach
Define the experience of a new product or ritual. Compare the fit of acceptable prototypes with an intended experience. Translate emotional positioning into development criteria. Investigate the effects of sensory or contextual changes.
01 — Define the target experience
Specify the consumers, usage context and operational meaning of the emotional objective. Comfort, stimulation or calm become researchable objectives through clear definitions and relevant assessment criteria.
Deliverable: an experience brief with consumers, context, objectives, constraints and evaluation criteria.
02 — Identify variables and hypotheses
Combine scientific literature, partner data and exploratory research. Distinguish established knowledge from assumptions to test.
Deliverable: a matrix of candidate variables, evidence, hypotheses and development options, with a first experience specification.
03 — Guide and compare prototypes
Organise comparisons around variables that can inform development. Examine effects on the target experience while retaining relevant sensory and hedonic assessments.
Deliverable: prototype comparison, recommendations for the next iteration and revised specification.
04 — Evaluate the resulting experience
Assess the developed product in the agreed population and usage conditions. Examine whether the target experience is obtained and how it differs from the selected comparison.
Deliverable: scientific report, conditions of interpretation and justified development or communication recommendations.
What the specification contains
Target consumers and usage situation; operational definitions; product and context variables; supporting evidence and hypotheses; assessment methods and criteria; trade-offs with liking, sensory performance, usability and product constraints.
An illustrative research question
For an evening skincare ritual, perceived calm first requires a definition and a usage scenario. Candidate variables are investigated through controlled comparisons, then the specification is updated using the findings. This is an illustration of the process, not a completed project.
Work with your development team
EmoSpin contributes scientific framing, study design, assessment and interpretation. Recommendations are formulated with designers, formulators and product teams so the research can guide concrete choices and further testing.
Published work relevant to development
Patent application WO2023222753A1 describes assessment of fragrance raw materials and its use in developing fragrance compositions. It names Arnaud Aubert and Francis Vial among the inventors.
Read the patent publicationTell us about your project
Describe the product or experience and the decision you need to make.
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