Hedonomics - Affective Human Factors Design

Abstract

People have affective reactions towards tasks, artifacts and interfaces. Theses reactions are caused by design features, which operate either through their perceptual attributes or from a sense of control in handling or from past experience. A systematic framework is proposed to conceptualize Affective Human Factors Design or as we call it - Hedonomics. The word Hedonomics is derived from the Greek “hedone” (pleasure – akin to sweet) and “nomos” (laws, principles). The focus is on pleasurable design of artifacts and tasks. Several existing theories may combine to support this framework, including: Human Information Processing, Activity Theory, and Theory of Flow. There are also analogies with past theories – in human need structure, motivation, job satisfaction, and stress research. The problem is now to conceptualize Hedonomics, to propose theories that can be used for design, and appropriate measurement tools. It is particularly important to develop tools to measure and predict affective design – and on an individual level predict user and customer needs for affect.