Short answer
Designers should leverage integrated models of communication and experience to ensure their intended product meaning is effectively conveyed and understood by users.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde) (2008)
- Method
- Literature review and synthesis
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Synthesizing existing models of communication and design can create a foundational framework for understanding the relationship between designer intent and consumer experience. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2008 study published in Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde). Using Literature review and synthesis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should leverage integrated models of communication and experience to ensure their intended product meaning is effectively conveyed and understood by users.
A Unified Model for Design Intent and User Experience
Synthesizing existing models of communication and design can create a foundational framework for understanding the relationship between designer intent and consumer experience.
Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde) · 2008
Key Findings
- 01Existing models of designer intent vs. consumer experience are fragmented and disconnected.
- 02A generic, communication-based model can integrate these disparate models.
- 03Such a unified model can serve as a foundation for future development and prevent duplication of effort.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should leverage integrated models of communication and experience to ensure their intended product meaning is effectively conveyed and understood by users.
How to apply
When developing or evaluating design documentation, consider how it maps onto a communication model to ensure clarity of intent and potential user interpretation.
Project actions
- 01When researching existing designs, look for diagrams or models that explain how the product is meant to be used or experienced.
- 02Consider how your own design choices communicate intent and how a user might interpret them.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive literature review across multiple disciplines.
- +Development of a unifying conceptual framework.
Limitations
The proposed generic model might oversimplify complex design communication processes.
Reliability & validity
Reliability would be assessed by the consistency of extracted features across different reviewers. Validity would be addressed by how well the synthesized model explains existing phenomena and its utility in generating new insights.
Think critically
To what extent can a single, generic model truly capture the nuances of designer intent and user experience across diverse product types and user groups?
Design Principles
"Design communication should be modeled using principles derived from established communication theories to bridge the gap between intent and reception."
This approach helps designers avoid redundant efforts by providing a consolidated view of existing representational tools. It also offers a robust foundation for developing new models that more effectively bridge the gap between intended and actual product experiences.
What This Means for Your Design
Think of how you communicate an idea – there are many ways to do it. This research shows that by looking at all the ways designers try to show how a product should be used and experienced, we can create one big, helpful map that shows how design ideas travel from the designer to the user.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the concept of a unified communication model to structure your analysis of existing design solutions or to justify your own design choices.
- 2.Reference this work when discussing the communication of design intent and user experience in your design project.
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Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the fragmentation of models representing the relationship between designer intent and consumer experience. By synthesizing existing frameworks from communication and design, a unified model can be developed, offering a more integrated approach to understanding and communicating design intent, thereby preventing redundant efforts and providing a robust foundation for future representational development.
Source
Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde)
Representing Artefacts as Media: Modelling the Relationship Between Designer Intent and Consumer Experience
journal · 2008
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about a unified model for design intent and user experience?
- Designers should leverage integrated models of communication and experience to ensure their intended product meaning is effectively conveyed and understood by users. Evidence: Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde) (2008).
- Why does "A Unified Model for Design Intent and User Experience" matter for design?
- This approach helps designers avoid redundant efforts by providing a consolidated view of existing representational tools. It also offers a robust foundation for developing new models that more effectively bridge the gap between intended and actual product experiences.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should leverage integrated models of communication and experience to ensure their intended product meaning is effectively conveyed and understood by users.
- What were the main findings?
- Existing models of designer intent vs. consumer experience are fragmented and disconnected.. A generic, communication-based model can integrate these disparate models.. Such a unified model can serve as a foundation for future development and prevent duplication of effort.
- What research method was used?
- Literature review and synthesis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2008 journal from Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing or evaluating design documentation, consider how it maps onto a communication model to ensure clarity of intent and potential user interpretation.
- What are the limitations?
- The effectiveness of the synthesized model may vary depending on the specific design discipline or context.