A study of five “F” in product design

Via professional product designers’ understanding about the two main properties of products, rationality and emotion, we are able to realize the connections between rational features and emotional features of different items. The target sample of this study was the electronic fan which was categorized into different styles based on five characteristics: F1 (Function), F2 (Friendly), F3 (Fun), F4 (Fancy), and F5 (Feeling). Two experiments were performed. Experiment 1 was for the purpose of selecting the representative products of rationality, neutrality, and emotion, and experiment 2 was to reset rational, neutral and emotional of the result from experiment 1. In hopes of obtaining varied design inspirations from the result of this study, these five group products possessed various features and variables respectively. This paper mainly discusses different properties between items of the rational and the emotional. This study also explains that how products of rationality and products of emotion were various whether in shapes or styles according to their properties. Moreover, the confusing quality of F3, F4, and F5 was explicated as well. The goal of this research is to provide suggestions to product designers with regard to the importance of how to design products with both characteristics; rationality and emotion at the same time, and further, to improve their design.