Shujoy Chakraborty | Universidade da Madeira (original) (raw)
Uploads
Papers by Shujoy Chakraborty
So far the development of Eco-efficiency in home appliances has only concentrated on their techno... more So far the development of Eco-efficiency in home appliances has only concentrated on their technological attributes, overlooking the communication of Eco-efficient qualities through the aesthetical appearance of such appliances i.e. a meaning to be transmitted to the user. Technical attributes are communicated through extrinsic features i.e. labelling, branding, packing . These are considered as semiotic content (not concerned with semantics) and give information regarding the product independent of meaning, and as such have no direct relation to the product appearance or character . This paper will explain the application of product semantic theory to re-design the product characters of home appliances which communicate their Eco-efficient qualities through their intrinsic features within a non-instrumental product experience. The final output will be a set of design guidelines consisting of 6 product characters-Futuristic, Feminine, Unconventional, Practical, Simple, Smart-which appliance designers can apply. Product characters are adjectival constructs or visual metaphors . Design theorists have pointed out that companies which are able to communicate a specific meaning (such as Eco-efficiency) through their product appearance can achieve a competitive market advantage . Athavankar [6] cited product semantics as having amongst others 2 core goals, (1) Improving user-product interaction. (2) Demystifying complex technologies. The intention of semantics as a design theory was to apply linguistic theories into a design process to develop readable' or `self-evident' products through easy to apply methods [7]. Abstract: So far the development of Eco-efficiency in home appliances has only concentrated on their technological attributes, overlooking the communication of Eco-efficient qualities through the aesthetical appearance of such appliances i.e. a meaning to be transmitted to the user. Technical attributes are communicated through extrinsic features i.e. labeling, branding, packing [1]. These are considered as semiotic content (not concerned with semantics) and give information regarding the product independent of meaning, and as such have no direct relation to the product appearance or character [2]. This paper will explain the application of product semantic theory to redesign the product characters of home appliances which communicate their Eco-efficient qualities through their intrinsic features within a non-instrumental product experience. The final output will be a set of design guidelines consisting of 6 product characters-Futuristic, Feminine, Unconventional, Practical, Simple, Smart -which appliance designers can apply. Product characters are adjectival constructs or visual metaphors . Design theorists have pointed out that companies which are able to communicate a specific meaning (such as Ecoefficiency) through their product appearance can achieve a competitive market advantage . Athavankar [6] cited product semantics as having amongst others 2 core goals, 1) Improving user-product interaction. 2) Demystifying complex technologies.
The European appliance industry in the recent years has identified eco-efficiency as one of the m... more The European appliance industry in the recent years has identified eco-efficiency as one of the most important issues to be addressed both in terms of customer demand and technology capability. It is both a very big challenge and an opportunity for manufacturing companies in this sector. In a much broader context 'sustainability' has pervaded quite deeply into the design and manufacturing worlds, but in the context of domestic appliances, the guiding principles of sustainability i.e.: environmental stewardship, social equity, & development-rather than growth, have not quite penetrated.
Books by Shujoy Chakraborty
So far the development of Eco-efficiency in home appliances has only concentrated on their techno... more So far the development of Eco-efficiency in home appliances has only concentrated on their technological attributes, overlooking the communication of Eco-efficient qualities through the aesthetical appearance of such appliances i.e. a meaning to be transmitted to the user. Technical attributes are communicated through extrinsic features i.e. labelling, branding, packing . These are considered as semiotic content (not concerned with semantics) and give information regarding the product independent of meaning, and as such have no direct relation to the product appearance or character . This paper will explain the application of product semantic theory to re-design the product characters of home appliances which communicate their Eco-efficient qualities through their intrinsic features within a non-instrumental product experience. The final output will be a set of design guidelines consisting of 6 product characters-Futuristic, Feminine, Unconventional, Practical, Simple, Smart-which appliance designers can apply. Product characters are adjectival constructs or visual metaphors . Design theorists have pointed out that companies which are able to communicate a specific meaning (such as Eco-efficiency) through their product appearance can achieve a competitive market advantage . Athavankar [6] cited product semantics as having amongst others 2 core goals, (1) Improving user-product interaction. (2) Demystifying complex technologies. The intention of semantics as a design theory was to apply linguistic theories into a design process to develop readable' or `self-evident' products through easy to apply methods [7]. Abstract: So far the development of Eco-efficiency in home appliances has only concentrated on their technological attributes, overlooking the communication of Eco-efficient qualities through the aesthetical appearance of such appliances i.e. a meaning to be transmitted to the user. Technical attributes are communicated through extrinsic features i.e. labeling, branding, packing [1]. These are considered as semiotic content (not concerned with semantics) and give information regarding the product independent of meaning, and as such have no direct relation to the product appearance or character [2]. This paper will explain the application of product semantic theory to redesign the product characters of home appliances which communicate their Eco-efficient qualities through their intrinsic features within a non-instrumental product experience. The final output will be a set of design guidelines consisting of 6 product characters-Futuristic, Feminine, Unconventional, Practical, Simple, Smart -which appliance designers can apply. Product characters are adjectival constructs or visual metaphors . Design theorists have pointed out that companies which are able to communicate a specific meaning (such as Ecoefficiency) through their product appearance can achieve a competitive market advantage . Athavankar [6] cited product semantics as having amongst others 2 core goals, 1) Improving user-product interaction. 2) Demystifying complex technologies.
The European appliance industry in the recent years has identified eco-efficiency as one of the m... more The European appliance industry in the recent years has identified eco-efficiency as one of the most important issues to be addressed both in terms of customer demand and technology capability. It is both a very big challenge and an opportunity for manufacturing companies in this sector. In a much broader context 'sustainability' has pervaded quite deeply into the design and manufacturing worlds, but in the context of domestic appliances, the guiding principles of sustainability i.e.: environmental stewardship, social equity, & development-rather than growth, have not quite penetrated.