Who will wear a leapard print party dress?

Product Given during NM4210 lec – Leopard print party dress

Customer Profile: Heidi, outgoing personnel in her early 30s. She lives in Paris, the city where the most renounced fashion designers showcase their works. She works in the fashion industry, a woman’s magazine editor who gives reviews of the latest fashion. An individual who, is daring in what she wears, willing to try new things and also create old pieces of garment into something that is up to date with her skillful hands. Believing in looking at her best every second, she stays on a healthy diet and does her regular yoga. Having the long and slim figure, almost anything will look nice on her.

1. Physio-pleasure: Many aspects of visceral level with some behavioral level.
Physcio appreciation: Her indulgence of yoga and spa during the weekends.
Physcio Needs: To stay in shape, do her regualer facials to that porcelain flawless skin as she is in the fashion business, thus is always good to look at her face.

2. Socio-pleasure: Both aspects from behavioral and reflective level.
Building up networks with editors, fashion designers, models and photographers. Networking is part of her social-life (need). She is enjoying singlehood, the freedom to hang out with anything she likes (appreciation).

3. Psycho-pleasure: Mostly behavioral level.
Need: Generates satisfaction from every issue of the fashion magazine published, having praises from her boss on her news-breaking fashion editorial.

4. Ideo-pleasure: Reflective level
Appreciation : The branded, designers’ products that she used, reflects on her professionalism and social status.

Phone that is most suitable to her: Nokia 7380

It is a sensual fusion of technology and fashion, the leather, shinning metallic surface and etched motifs accentuates the touch of elegance. The iconic slim and sleek design suits Heidi’s figure and style.


The reflective mirror is perfect for any woman who is always on the go and need something to check herself before giving that great first impression. The light-weight (Weight: 2.82 ounces Dimensions: 4.49 x 1.19 x 0.79 inches) is also a plus point to lighten the burden of the heavy leather Coach Bag that Heidi carries. (physio and ideo pleasures)

The 2 mega pixel camera (1200 x 1600 capture resolution, Up to 52 MB internal memory) is all Heidi needs to capture memorable moments with other party animals and nice fashion ideas she saw on the streets. (socio pleasures)

It also allows Heidi to listen to her favorite melody in itunes or FM radio (Apple iTools compatible - synchronization of photos, audio files, and video clips using Nokia Collector v1.0) , while traveling or waiting for her clients. (psycho pleasures~keeping herself up to trend in terms of music and news) Being in the fashion industries, it is important that the mobile phone is able to store all the contacts. This phone stores up to 1000 entries. (socio pleasures)

Overall the most important point is the aesthetic quality of this phone; it is a representation of Heidi’s status, a successful independent lady, who has the earning power and obvious someone who holds a strong fashion statement. (ideo pleasures)

Visceral Design - Cinderella slippers

Only Paris Hilton can wear it
own collection
Slippery soles



Visceral Design - Cinderella slippers

‘How much could a pair of shoes cost? Well, the world’s most expensive pair of women’s shoes costs a cool $2 million!
The one-of-a-kind 4-inch stiletto sandals are studded with 565 platinum-set Kwiat diamonds (which include 55 carats of clear diamonds and one big 5-carat stone).
The ‘Cinderella slippers’ as Stuart Weitzman, the designer of the fantasy sandals, calls them, were worn by singer Alison Krauss (nominated for best song for the film Cold Mountain) at the 2004 Oscars ceremony.
The Stuart Weitzman-designed $2-million shoes on display in Beverly Hills, California.’

Taken from: http://www.luxury-gadgets.com/category/most-expensive/

The shoe I have chosen for the visceral category is this $2million dollars shoes. It looks luxurious, something that the upper class would want to have. Undergraduates like us will only drool and sign that we are not born rich. Even if it is given to us as a present, who is going to wear it?

Visceral: Cinderella like, elegant, demure and expensive

Behavior: Uncomfortable, hard like the crystal and pain in the ass

Reflective: Status symbol for upper class. Never or seldom have the opportunity for me to wear it, I am not some rich man’s daughter beside going to lectures, CCAs and hang out with friends at Vivo City where else can I go? If I wear this, I will probably get rob.

Beside this e.g that I haven taken off the web, I also own this pair of black formal flats, which to be is considered a visceral design. This one looks professional and elegant. I bought it because of the ribbon and because it is a just a little heel. However it is really not something you would want to wear for a long shopping trip. The sole is smoothened after just wearing it for three times, if it rains it will get really slippery. 

Behavioral Design- My Reef Flip Flop

top view -The sole of the flip flop

Behavioral Design- My Reef Flip Flop

I bought this from Korea and love it from the time I bought it. It is my favorite color too-green. In general it may not be a visceral design but because of the nice green patterns it immediately drew my attention when I first saw it at Myong Dong (Seoul), so it is a little of a visceral design for me.

Visceral: Not something to be show of in terms of its design and price. No crystal or anything expensive, just fabric and rubber.

Behavior: It feels really comfortable. I can walk with it for the whole day. It is ideal for any conditions, sunny, sandy or rainy. The sole is excellent, it provide secure grip and doesn’t wear out easily. The flip flop base is design to mound into the shape of the foot. Gives best support and comfort.

Reflective: Among the ‘slippers family’ it is considered quite expensive, it costs about $33 in Singapore. If what I am looking for it comfy, then this is the choice. Hmmm it reminds me of my Korea SEP!!! Tells people of my more casual and easy going style. 

Reflective Design- i-xodus flats

new
old and worn out
Reflective Design- i-xodus flats

This isn’t something that is comfortable initially. Only after about 5-6 times of wearing it, it became more seasoned and I could finally take off my handy plaster. This is quite an old pair of shoes, got this about 1.5 years ago. It is a present from Dad.

Visceral: It is pretty and demure looking (above there is a picture of when it is new and a ‘after 1.5 year later’ photo), but it is more luxurious, quite affordable. I find the design quite unique though, something I can show off.

Behavior: I love the combination of the materials used, although it is not as comfortable. This is made to look pretty not for running. (*laugh*)

Reflective: My Dad bought this for me, he chose this color because he said it gives a more youthful image, unlike brown (the other color) which is quite conservative. Yellow the third color is not suitable for my pale and fair skin. A substitute for heels, if you are wearing a skirt. It is quite me, because I always try to avoid ‘under dressed’ so this flat goes well with almost everything in my wardrobe and almost all kinds of functions (just a little worn out now). This represent a bit of my personality, I love green, like to be a bit different from others (the design is quite unique at the time I bought it). It is something I can run after the bus with, because it is really light-weight. It also reminds me of the horrible monsoon in Korea, the reason why it is so worn out now.

 

Bad Design - Capture User Experience

Imagine one day you wake up to find the mobile phone which you have left it to charge overnight is still uncharged, because of the loose charging cable. In other words, the battery logo is red and you have to rush off in the morning to attend a 9am lecture. You have no time for it to re-charge. Will you feel frustrated or feel just like suing the mobile company (that is if you have the money and time to spare)?

The above situation has happened to me and my fellow friends who are loyal Sony Ericsson mobile users (I hope Sony Ericsson will not sue me for this, because I am really stating the fact!). The older Sony Ericsson phones, like the models K320i, J300i, K508i, K300i, K700i and many more are using this tilting charger, which you have to remove by tilting the plug upwards. Unlike the Nokia chargers, which is round and works just like any earphones plug for walkmans and ipods. The Sony Ericsson charger connector will come loose when you move the phone in an upward direction while charging. After several usages the connection will be seasoned and comes loose even much easily.

Personally I was frustrated every time the same thing happened. The most frustrating thing is when I have actually made sure that the charger was attached properly before I went to sleep, but only to realize that the charger came loose in the middle of the night because of whatever reasons. After some discussions with my brother, also a Sony Ericsson mobile user, we concluded that partly it is the gravitational pull and maybe the wind or air pressure (not going into any physics discussion). We try to place the mobile phone on a thick book or on a table so that the cable is connected such that is in- line with the charger connector port. However, this is still a no guarantee that it will be safely charge the next morning (maybe 85% higher chance).

Hoping that Sony Ericsson will come out with a better designed charger, I investigate further with two friends who have bought the newer ‘W’ series. This time the charger is bigger than the ‘K’ series but the same problem still occurs. Another insight that I got is that when the charger connector is loosed, the ear piece will also be loosely connected because they share the same connecting port. The ‘K’ series have a separate connecting port for the ear piece and charger. Many of the Sony Ericsson mobile users are switching to Nokia or Samsung. They still think that the conventional charger used by Nokia is the best.

Reflections

One biggest problem that Sony Ericsson has failed to identify is that the tilting technology of the charger is the main cause of the bad connecting problem. Another reason that causes the charger to become loose is because most users failed to use the technology the way it is intended by the designer. Many failed to realize that they have to tilt to remove the charger, they just pull it out. The pulling motion will damage the connecting point. Personally I only realized it after charging my phone for the third time; I read it from the menu that comes with the phone while reviewing some special functions of the phone. How many users read the product menu? Not many I assumed. Sony Ericsson can either focus their advertising efforts to educate the users about the tilting technology or change the charger design to one similar to Nokia.

This is unlike my personal blog it is going to be more academic, I hope I will be careful with the use of English, no more Singlish. Just like Mr Brown show, I shal not touch on sensitive issues. Only design matters are allowed. ( I shall stop here before I get into my 'Singlishness')