ABSTRACT
Whether designed that way or not, users invariably have some experience
of a manufactured object. Just as we might unwittingly experience a tranquil
sunset, the stench of an old wet dog or perhaps a knock at the door in the
early hours of the morning, experience may be drawn from all facets of life,
and to varying degrees. It is common to hear of user experiences defined
in terms of their intensity or power; yet to measure experience in this way
is actually counterproductive in a number of instances. Contrary to popular
misconception, it is the subtle and more ephemeral user experiences that
penetrate the psyche through the slow and steady passing of time. Intense
user experiences, such as those gained from igniting a firework, or achieving
0 to 100 kilometres per hour in less than four seconds, for example, are
indeed powerful; yet they are fleeting and are seldom revisited by users.
