Designing for Emotion Chapter 5

This week in Designing for Emotion, I read Chapter 5, which was “Overcoming Obstacles in Designing for Emotion”. This chapter talks about how as designers, we have to gain the trust of our consumers and it tells of different obstacles that we to overcome to create successful, meaningful designs.

One thing I agreed with in this chapter was when the author said we are in a position to help the user follow their gut instinct. Through the use of appealing and engaging designs, we can create content that helps the user easily consume information that they find useful and attractive.

I had a hard time finding something in this chapter that I did not agree with; it all seemed very relevant. I agree that an apathetic consumer is dangerous to a designer, and that we need to create designs that spark meaning in the user. I agree that appearance is everything, because if you’re content is good, but the design is unattractive, users will still react negatively. Finally, I agree that it is a good idea to go with your gut feeling, at least when you have no other options. There are times when you have no option but to react based on what your instincts tell you, especially if it’s saying that something is not right.