affective design

affectivedesign.org is run by Trevor van Gorp and dedicated to exploring and understanding the “heart” of design; the effects of design on the emotional affect created by people’s interaction with products, brands and services

Affective design is widely recognized as one of the top blogs on the topic of design and emotion. Unlike other researchers in this area, Trevor van Gorp is not only an academic, but also a practitioner of graphic, interactive and industrial design. Affective design is a practical approach to designing engaging user experiences across different design disciplines.

Every month, affective design is visited by folks working in small design shops, agencies, universities, and leading companies in marketing, software, telecommunications and product manufacturing. They all have at least one one thing in common. They want to learn more about designing for emotion. So, on behalf of everyone here at affectivedesign.org, thanks for the coming by!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trevor has been working in design and visual communication since 1994. As a user experience designer, he is involved in user research, usability testing, information architecture, interaction design, prototyping and visual design. He holds a BFA in Graphic Design and a Master’s of Environmental Design in Industrial Design.

Trevor is a member of the Information Architecture Institute, the Association of Canadian Ergonomists, and the Design & Emotion Society.

He’s spent the last five years developing an in-depth understanding of emotion and its application to the practice of design. Fascinated by the pervasively persuasive effects of emotions on decision-making and behavior, he started affectivedesign.org in 2006 to continue researching and exploring the intersection of emotion and design.

Formerly a consultant at nForm User Experience, a leading Canadian user experience firm, he is currently the principal of affective design; an independent design and user experience consultancy. His design process and the affective design framework include insights drawn from the disciplines of art, graphic design, industrial design, ergonomics, human factors and cognitive psychology, helping clients to realize their business goals while enhancing the user’s experience. The affective design framework allows for the creation of experiences that balance function with form, resulting in products that are both engaging and easy to use.

Trevor has given presentations on the topic of design and emotion at conferences both in North America and internationally.

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