Kansei Innovation : Practical Design Applications for Product and Service Development

Thanks to Apple and smart phone phenomenon, almost everyone has realized the emerging trend of user experience in design. Kansei engineering is the method to achieve that. This book defines Kansei and Kansei Engineering, then describes in detail the application and development process. It provides 30 case studies than underscore the concepts and demonstrate their practical application. Also included are examples of manufacturing, implication of worker-oriented philosophy, improvement of working postures, and one-man assembly systems.

Developed in the early 70s in Japan, the Kansei Engineering (KE) method gives you the tools to develop profitable and well-received products and services. Written by the founder of KE, MitsuoNagamachi, and co-authored by one of his proteges, Anitawati Mohd Lokman, Kansei Innovation: Practical Design Applications for Product and Service Development shows you how to nurture Kansei, develop the skill in observing people, and apply that skill to the development and design of products.

In this book, Nagamachi shares his 50 years of experiences in enterprise guidance and product development, including examples of exceptional service innovation at companies such as Nissan Motor, Mazda, Toyota, Volvo, Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Tenmaya Department Stores, Seibu Department Stores, Suntory, NEC, Sharp, Komatsu, Wacoal Corporation, Matsushita Electric Works (now Panasonic Electric Works), Boeing, and many more. These stories may surprise you when you learn about the new development of certain products that you already use.

The book includes coverage of ergonomic and KE methods for studying human Kansei in product development and job improvement as well as discussion of how to use these methods for innovation in work improvement and activate KE for product development. It gives you a reliable instrument for predicting the reception of a product on the market before the development costs become too large. And, in the end, you will understand how Kansei—a seemingly dubious presence—is processed scientifically and able to have multilateral applications.