Somaesthetic Design: Enhancing User Bodily Awareness Through Experiential Design
Somaesthetic design prioritizes making users more conscious of their physical sensations and embodied experiences.
interactions · 2015
Key Findings
- 01Somaesthetic design aims to increase users' awareness of their bodily sensations.
- 02Developing personal somaesthetic expertise is crucial for designers.
- 03There is a need for more concrete examples of somaesthetic design implementation.
Application
Design takeaway
Integrate methods that explore and evaluate the felt bodily experience of users throughout the design process, and encourage designers to develop their own somaesthetic awareness.
How to apply
When designing interactive products, consider how the physical form, haptics, and sensory feedback can draw attention to the user's body and its movements.
Project actions
- 01Consider how your design makes the user feel physically.
- 02Experiment with different materials and forms to evoke specific bodily sensations.
- 03Reflect on your own physical experience while using or interacting with prototypes.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Focuses on a deeper, often overlooked aspect of user experience.
- +Encourages a more holistic and empathetic design approach.
Limitations
It can be difficult to objectively measure and report on subjective bodily experiences. The interpretation of 'felt experience' can vary significantly between individuals.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be improved by using standardized questionnaires for reporting sensations. Validity is challenged by the subjective nature of felt experience; triangulation with observational data might enhance it.
Think critically
How can the subjective nature of somaesthetic experience be reliably measured or evaluated in a design project?
Design Principles
"Design for embodied awareness by making users more conscious of their physical sensations and interactions."
By focusing on the felt bodily experience, designers can create products and systems that are more intuitive, engaging, and deeply resonant with users. This approach moves beyond purely functional or aesthetic considerations to tap into a more profound level of user interaction and satisfaction.
What This Means for Your Design
This is about designing things that make you feel more aware of your body and how you're using something, like how a comfortable chair makes you notice your posture.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use somaesthetic principles to inform the user research phase, focusing on embodied user feedback.
- 2.Apply somaesthetic considerations when developing design concepts and prototypes, particularly regarding form, texture, and interaction feedback.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2015). COVER STORYSomaesthetic design. interactions. https://doi.org/10.1145/2770888 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/e826e494-8d73-49d5-a1f9-5753cd378c82/somaesthetic-design-enhancing-user-bodily-awareness-through-experiential-design
Paragraph starter
This design project explores somaesthetic principles, aiming to enhance user awareness of their bodily experiences. By focusing on the felt sensations associated with product interaction, the design seeks to create a more embodied and engaging user experience. This approach requires designers to develop their own somaesthetic expertise and to incorporate methods for understanding and evaluating subjective physical feedback.
Source
Questions about this research
- What does the research say about somaesthetic design: enhancing user bodily awareness through experiential design?
- Integrate methods that explore and evaluate the felt bodily experience of users throughout the design process, and encourage designers to develop their own somaesthetic awareness. Evidence: interactions (2015).
- Why does "Somaesthetic Design: Enhancing User Bodily Awareness Through Experiential Design" matter for design?
- By focusing on the felt bodily experience, designers can create products and systems that are more intuitive, engaging, and deeply resonant with users. This approach moves beyond purely functional or aesthetic considerations to tap into a more profound level of user interaction and satisfaction.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Integrate methods that explore and evaluate the felt bodily experience of users throughout the design process, and encourage designers to develop their own somaesthetic awareness.
- What were the main findings?
- Somaesthetic design aims to increase users' awareness of their bodily sensations.. Developing personal somaesthetic expertise is crucial for designers.. There is a need for more concrete examples of somaesthetic design implementation.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research, case studies, and expert review of design practice..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2015 journal from interactions.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing interactive products, consider how the physical form, haptics, and sensory feedback can draw attention to the user's body and its movements.
- What are the limitations?
- The abstract nature of somaesthetics can make it challenging to measure or quantify user experience. Translating subjective feelings into objective design specifications requires careful consideration.
- Is there evidence that design affects design outcomes?
- The core idea is that designers need to understand and feel bodily experiences themselves to effectively design products that make users more aware of their own physical sensations. By focusing on the felt bodily experience, designers can create products and systems that are more intuitive, engaging, and deeply resonan Source: interactions (2015).
- Where does this felt bodily research apply?
- Interactive product design and user experience. It sits within user-centred design research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
design design research · evidence on design · does design improve design outcomes · felt bodily studies for designers · design and felt bodily findings · user-centred design research evidence