Visceral, Behavioral and Reflective Design

Norman describes three different levels of design: visceral, behavioral and reflective. Visceral design "is  what nature does. Here good graphics, cleanliness, and beauty play a role. Because visceral design is about initial reactions, it can be studied quite simply by putting people in front of a design and waiting for reactions," (68).
The image I chose to post for this is a photo of our VW bug. Ever since I was little, I have always thought that VW bugs "were just cute." That was my initial reaction to the car. My mom drives a blue convertible bug and when she brought it home the whole family talked about how cute the car was. Everyone who sees the car thinks it is cute, also. I don't know what it is about the car that makes it cute. As far as a car goes, it drives and gets us from place to place. However, if given the choice I always like to drive my mom's car over mine. In reality, my car is the better car. It has four-wheel drive, fits more people, and gets better gas mileage. However, I just like her car more. It is my initial, visceral reaction to it.

The next level of design is the behavioral. Behavioral design "is all about use. Function comes first and foremost; what does a product do, what function does it perform? If the item doesn't do anything of interest, then who cares how well it works. So the very first behavioral test a product must pass is whether it fulfills needs," (70). The image I chose to talk about for behavioral design is the two spoons posted below. We own both sets of silverware posted below. The spoon on the left is more viscerally pleasing, with its curvy handle and shiny silver. However, behaviorally the spoon on the right is much better. The spirally-handled spoon always slips out of your hand when you use it. The spoon on the right is less visually appealing. It is just plain, matte silver. However, the spoon on the right definitely fits the definition of behavioral design better. 

Reflective design "is all about message, about culture, and about the meaning of a product or its use. For one, it is about the meaning of things, the personal remebrances something evokes. For another, very different thing, it is about self-image and the message the product sendds to others," (84). I posted a picture of my Kate Spade black purse. This purse definitely evokes reflective meaning. It is a cultural statement, personal remembrance piece, and it sends a message to others. On the surface level, it is just a very plain, black purse. In small silver lettering it says Kate Spade with the iconic spade symbol above it. These three items make the bag distinct. Kate Spade is a well-renowned designer, and the purse evokes a certain level of prestige. I like carrying this purse around. I don't usually consider myself into brand names, but when my dad bought me this purse in New York, something about it makes me feel good. It isn't more functional than other black purses I own, but there is just something about the Kate Spade purse I love. The leather feels softer, the color seems richer and I feel good when I use the purse.