A Users ’ Kansei Evaluation System Based on Product Form Features and Feature Composition Chun-Chih Chen*, Ming-Chuen Chuang**

Abstract: In the viewpoint of cognitive psychology, people perceive and recognize objects by identifying their form element features as well as feature composition, the compositional relationship among these features. However, most studies of kansei engineering have discussed the relations between user’s kansei evaluation and product’s form element features only. In this study, instead, we proposed a modified kansei evaluation system, by using teapot designs as examples, to explain how the form element features and feature composition together will affect users ’ kansei. Firstly, a SD evaluating survey was conducted to some selected teapot designs. Factor analysis was conducted on the SD evaluation data, and three main factors of user’s image perception and expression, including stable factor, strength factor and aesthetic factor, were extracted. A multiple linear regression then was applied to analyze the relationship between the users ’ feeling (SD evaluation) on these designs (dependent variables) and design features of these designs (independent variables). There were two models of determining design features, a form element feature-oriented Kansei systems and a modified Kansei system based on form element features and feature composition, adopted in this analysis. In the first model, only form element features were considered as independent variables; while in the second one, both form element features and feature composition were considered as independent variables. A series of statistical analyses was conducted to compare the different performance between the two models. As revealed by the result, the modified kansei system is more valid on explaining users ’ kansei information, especially in aesthetic factor. Keywords?kansei evaluation,,form element features, feature composition, multiple regression 1