ABSTRACT
In consumer research, a number of methods are used to determine the consumer’s preference for the functional possibilities of a product. Ergonomic research in the form of user tasks can also be performed to determine appropiate designs for consumer-product interaction which will maximise task efficiency and minimise discomfort in product use. Far less is known, however, about the ways in which the more subjective perceptions and preferences of consumers, that concern hedonic product value or pleasure, can be investigated. This is most notably the case for aesthetic pleasure, derived from the appearance of a product. How does product appearance appeal to consumers and how does it affect consumer evaluations of the product? Taking hedonic product value into account will help to attune the appearance of a product to the wishes of the consumer, and thus maximise their pleasure in product possession and use.
