Affective design (kansei engineering) in Japan : a report from a DTI International Technology Service Mission

New products introduced by consumer goods companies operating in many market sectors are often not as successful as expected even though they are functionally reliable and produced to a consistent standard. They do not seem to connect with the feelings of customers who are rejecting anything that does not truly satisfy them in the way that they want to live. The Japanese realised earlier than most that their product development methods just did not reveal the deep insights into customers’ feelings that enabled emotional needs to be satisfied. They have developed methods and tools to overcome this, supporting the creation of products targeted to meet those needs, that they call Kansei Engineering. This report is about a mission to Japan to study that. Experience of the use of Kansei Engineering was sought from the food and drink (Asahi Breweries Ltd.), packaging (Toppan Printing Co. Ltd.), building products (Matsushita Electric Works Ltd.), cosmetics (Shiseido Company Ltd., Milbon Co., Ltd.), electronic products (Seiko Epson Corporation) and automotive (Mazda Motor Corporation) sectors, and from three Universities (Hiroshima International, Shinshu and Tsukuba).