The Application of Computer Aided Design as Tool for Building User-Centered Design in Consumer Ceramics' Product Development

This paper investigates the knowledge regarding how user-centred design can be built in ceramic consumer products. The paper gives the general overview of ceramics, computer-aided design and its application in ceramic product development. It also illuminates on product emotion, its influence on consumers’ behaviour and how it can be integrated into new product conceptualization. Furthermore, the paper analysed the systematic approach in building user-centred design in new product and also reveals how CAD can be used to achieve a user-centred design. In order to test the viability of CAD in achieving user-centred design, a study was performed where a CAD-model of a multi-functional ceramic pot was created and a questionnaire with the image (CAD model) and eight emotions was given to participants so as to know their emotional responses toward the product. The result from the study reveals the viability of computer aided design as tool for building user-centred design in consumer ceramics’ product development. DOI: 10.4018/ijacdt.2012070103 International Journal of Art, Culture and Design Technologies, 2(2), 30-42, July-December 2012 31 Copyright © 2012, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. customers interact with directly or indirectly. In other words, engaging emotion as a partner to technology will deliver the next market place products that will captivate customers. Although, collaborations between manufacturers and supplies are becoming increasingly more usual, it is still far from common for the customer to be considered as a fundamental participant in the collaborative design chain (Camarinha-Matos et al., 1999). The different types of customers that will filter the product throughout its life cycle are stakeholders in the process and should be given preferences from the very earliest design stages. Therefore, this paper investigates the knowledge regarding how user-centre design can be built in ceramic consumer products. It reveals how CAD can be used to achieve a user-centred design and also test the viability of CAD in achieving this by performing a study where a CAD-model of a multi-functional ceramic pot was created and a questionnaire with the image (CAD model) and eight emotions was given to participants so as to know their emotional responses toward the product. The result from the study reveals the viability of computer aided design as tool for building user-centred design in consumer ceramics’ product development.