Assignment #4: Comparison: Design of Everyday Things vs. Emotional Design

I can see how these two books sort of contradict one another, but I also don't see why they can't peacefully coexist.  There were contradictory statements from Design of Everyday Things within Emotional Design, but if you were to sort of overlook the exact examples and take just the concepts into account, the concepts build on one another quite nicely. It is great to consider the beauty of the design as well as the practicality of design.In Emotional Design, Norman divides emotional affection into three levels – visceral, behavioral and reflective. The visceral level is initiated by the primary sensual perceptions – the appearance, sound, smell or even taste. The behavioral level reflects our immediate experience while using the product – if it is easy and pleasurable to use. Finally, the reflective level arises as a result of our observations of past experiences, of what we consider desirable and if the product can give us sense of achievement and self-esteem. In Design of Everyday Things, the brain is sort of barely mentioned.