Design is an economic activity to create values for users and stakeholders over the value
chain of a product. In this paper, the contribution of design is defined as the enhancement
of users' perceived values by improving users’ “experience of a product”. In this context,
the value of a product corresponds to compensation for experience or a promise for
experience of a product. Experience can be sensory or psychological benefits to users.
To evaluate the value of design, it is important to identify and analyze the design
parameters affecting users' experience and benefits of products such as macro-, microenvironmental
factors,
value
chain
factors,
designer
factors,
and
user
factors. For an
analytical modeling of the values of design, this paper introduces the concept of a “utility
function” from economics. In economics, utility is a measure of “desirability or satisfaction”
that can be correlative to “Need or Desire". The measure of value can be found in the price
which a user is willing to pay for the fulfillment or satisfaction of need or desire via the
experience of a product.
DRS 2012 Bangkok
