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Emotional Design Thinking & Design Psychology Masterclass

4.1 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Empty star
Based on 133 ratings
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Omer Masood Qureshi

This course has been designed by consulting cutting edge research on the novel subjects of emotional design, design thinking and design psychology. This power packed training has the potential to give students a whole new perspective on design. All types of designers (UX, Product, Industrial, Graphic, etc..) and marketing and creative managers who have an inquisitive eye can benefit from this training. The first part of the course starts with the very origins of emotional design and psychology. The second part covers how humans connect to design. The third part practically applies all theories in design, citing cases and solved examples. 

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This course has been designed by consulting cutting edge research on the novel subjects of emotional design, design thinking and design psychology. This power packed training has the potential to give students a whole new perspective on design. All types of designers (UX, Product, Industrial, Graphic, etc..) and marketing and creative managers who have an inquisitive eye can benefit from this training. The first part of the course starts with the very origins of emotional design and psychology. The second part covers how humans connect to design. The third part practically applies all theories in design, citing cases and solved examples. 

The project is a combination of various tasks covering all the video lectures.

  1. Think & Observe 10 designs around you. Consciously try to note what sensation transference they give to the consumers. Write down at least 5 feelings per design.

  2. Study Ford Edsel and figure out the reason for its failure from a design technology perspective.

  3. Take any 5 products, search for a female version of the product, search for a male version and correspond them to the age, gender and status these objects have been created as.

  4. Write down a functional design briefs, user profiles and psychological design briefs for the following items: (minimum 200 words each)

    • An office table

    • A home juicer

    • A handbag

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Design psychology: the roots of design psychology and its practical applications in design.
  • Emotional design: how to add an emotional experience to design, how to enhance it using other elements and how to maintain design coherence.
  • Design thinking: understanding and adding an x factor appeal in design. understanding conscious and unconscious appeal
  • Jargon: terminologies of design psychology, major theories, notable cases in history, case studies which enable students to better present their case in the boardroom and offer expert opinions.
  • Design evaluation: evaluation and prediction of the potential of a designs to become a market success.
  • Show more
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Syllabus

Introduction and historical perspective

The genesis of design, from the caveman art to modern design. 

  • The Connection to design and psychology: The puffin chick experiment

  • Caveman Art

  • Modern Art

  • Modern Product Design

  • Case Study: The McDonalds Logo

  • Louise Cheskin:  Sensation Transference

  • Louise Cheskin:  Core philosophy

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Case studies of the biggest design successes and failures in history and their linkage to psychology.

  • Coca Cola Bottle

  • VW Beetle

  • Mini

  • SUVs

  • Recumbent/Safety/High-wheeler bicycles

Anthropomorphism in everyday designs.

  • Definition

  • Anthropomorphism in designs

  • Rounder vs stiffer curves

  • Game of proportions

  • Form expressions

Anthropomorphic construction of fonts, color and fonts.

  • Fonts

  • Colors

  • Sounds

Consumer psychology of similarity and its practical applications.

  • User Profiles

  • Awareness of psychological connection

  • Enhancement of emotional experience

  • Maintaining emotional experience

  • User oriented design

Appeal of design in the subconscious thought.

  • Conscious and Subconscious thought

  • Conscious and Sub conscious product appeal

  • Ethical social construct of design

  • Cognitive load, Hicks law

  • Seduction to fulfillment cycle

Applying all knowledge of design psychology  practically.

  • Design Briefs

  • Case study of effective design briefs:  The Citroen 2CV

  • The sweet spot of design:  Functional, psychological and cultural requirements

  • Solved Example: Design of a running shoe

  • Conclusions

  • Assignment

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores the origins of design from cave paintings to modern product design, providing a broad historical context for understanding design principles
Examines case studies of both successful and unsuccessful designs, such as the Coca-Cola bottle and the VW Beetle, offering practical insights into what works and what doesn't
Teaches about anthropomorphism in design, covering fonts, colors, and sounds, which can help designers create more relatable and engaging products
Requires students to analyze existing designs and consider the sensations they evoke, which may be challenging for those without prior experience in sensory analysis
Includes a project that requires students to write functional and psychological design briefs, which develops skills applicable to real-world design scenarios

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Reviews summary

Emotional design thinking and psychology

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation in the principles of emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology. Many found the content practical and applicable to their work in various design fields, such as UX and product design. The course is noted for its clear explanations of complex concepts and the inclusion of relevant historical case studies. While some reviewers suggest the course is more suitable for beginners or those new to the topic, others appreciated the new perspective it offered. The assignments are often highlighted as valuable for applying learned theories.
Provides a foundational understanding of the topic.
"This course is perfect if you're new to the concepts of design psychology and emotional design."
"I felt this course offered a really good starting point into the intersection of psychology and design."
"As someone relatively new to this area, I found the course very accessible and informative."
Projects challenge students to apply theories.
"The assignments, particularly analyzing existing designs, made me think deeply about the concepts."
"I found the project work valuable for solidifying my understanding and applying the course material."
"The practical tasks encouraged me to actively observe and analyze designs around me."
Historical and modern examples support learning.
"The case studies provided, like the Coca-Cola bottle and VW Beetle, were fascinating and illustrative."
"It was helpful to see how these design psychology concepts played out in real historical products and brands."
"Learning from past design successes and failures added significant value to the course."
Complex topics are presented in an understandable way.
"The instructor explains the concepts really well, making complex ideas easy to grasp."
"The content is delivered clearly and concisely, which helps in retaining information."
"I appreciated how the psychological theories were broken down into digestible parts."
Apply design principles to real-world scenarios.
"I found the principles discussed in this course to be immediately applicable to my work in UX design."
"Learned practical tools and strategies that I could apply immediately to my work."
"The course helped me look at everyday designs with a different, more insightful perspective."
May be too basic for experienced professionals.
"For someone with prior knowledge in design theory or psychology, parts of this course might feel a bit introductory."
"Could use more in-depth coverage on some of the advanced psychological aspects mentioned."
"While a good overview, it didn't delve as deeply into specific areas as I had hoped for my intermediate level."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Emotional Design Thinking & Design Psychology Masterclass with these activities:
Review 'Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things'
Deepen your understanding of the core principles of emotional design by exploring Donald Norman's seminal work.
View Emotional Design on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Emotional Design'.
  • Read the book, taking notes on key concepts.
  • Reflect on how the concepts apply to design.
Review Basic Psychology Principles
Strengthen your understanding of fundamental psychological concepts that underpin emotional design thinking.
Browse courses on Cognitive Psychology
Show steps
  • Review introductory psychology materials.
  • Focus on cognitive and behavioral principles.
  • Take a short online quiz to test knowledge.
Analyze the Emotional Design of Everyday Objects
Apply the course concepts by analyzing the emotional design of everyday objects and identifying areas for improvement.
Show steps
  • Select 3-5 everyday objects to analyze.
  • Identify the emotions the design evokes.
  • Suggest improvements to enhance emotional appeal.
  • Document your findings in a short report.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a Mood Board for a Specific User Persona
Practice creating visual representations of user emotions and preferences to inform design decisions.
Show steps
  • Define a specific user persona.
  • Gather images, colors, and textures.
  • Arrange elements to reflect the persona's emotions.
  • Write a short description of the mood board.
Review 'Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability'
Gain insights into user-centered design principles that contribute to positive emotional responses.
View Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Don't Make Me Think, Revisited'.
  • Read the book, focusing on usability principles.
  • Consider how usability impacts emotional design.
Redesign a Website Landing Page for Emotional Impact
Apply the course's principles to redesign a real-world landing page, focusing on enhancing its emotional appeal and user engagement.
Show steps
  • Choose a website landing page to redesign.
  • Analyze the existing design's emotional impact.
  • Create a redesigned version with enhanced emotional appeal.
  • Document the design choices and rationale.
Answer Questions on Design Forums
Reinforce your understanding by helping others learn about emotional design and design psychology.
Show steps
  • Find online design forums or communities.
  • Search for questions related to emotional design.
  • Provide thoughtful and helpful answers.

Career center

Learners who complete Emotional Design Thinking & Design Psychology Masterclass will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
User Experience Researcher
A User Experience Researcher investigates user behavior and needs to inform design decisions. This course explores emotional design and design psychology, which directly relates to understanding user emotions and subconscious responses to designs. One becomes adept at understanding how humans connect with designs, including the psychological and emotional aspects. The course's exploration of sensation transference, user profiles, and subconscious product appeal are all directly applicable to the work of a User Experience Researcher. Examining case studies like the Coca Cola bottle and VW Beetle provide context into design successes and failures. Completing the project, which involves analyzing designs and creating design briefs, would be particularly relevant for a someone in this career path.
See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Researcher
Product Designer
A Product Designer is responsible for the form and function of a product. This course on emotional design thinking and design psychology offers a new perspective on design, which would be useful in this career. The course emphasizes adding an emotional experience to design and maintaining design coherence. Discussions of anthropomorphism, fonts, colors, and sounds will help the Product Designer to create appealing products that are well-received and easy to understand. Understanding the sweet spot of design, which includes functional, psychological, and cultural requirements, is valuable for a Product Designer. The course project, which challenges students to analyze designs and create functional design briefs, is relevant to this career path.
See salaries and explore the career path for Product Designer
Industrial Designer
An Industrial Designer creates the form and function of manufactured products. This course introduces novel subjects such as emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology, offering Industrial Designers a fresh perspective. This course explores how humans connect to design while considering the subconscious appeal of a practical application of all theories in design, citing cases and solved examples. The historical analysis of successful and unsuccessful designs, like the Coca Cola bottle, VW Beetle, and SUVs, provides the Industrial Designer with valuable lessons. The course project involving observation of designs and creating psychological design briefs for products is insightful.
See salaries and explore the career path for Industrial Designer
Graphic Designer
A Graphic Designer creates visual concepts that communicate ideas, inform, or captivate consumers. A course that focuses on emotional design thinking and design psychology enhances a Graphic Designer's ability to craft compelling visuals. This course also addresses the anthropomorphic construction of fonts and colors. This course provides the necessary practical applications for all theories related to design by providing cases and solved examples. The course project, which includes sensation transference and analyzing the psychological aspects of designs, helps a Graphic Designer understand how to create more emotionally resonant work. The course touches on modern product design, which may be of general interest.
See salaries and explore the career path for Graphic Designer
User Interface Designer
A User Interface Designer focuses on the aesthetics and usability of digital interfaces. This course delves into emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology, which are all relevant to this role. By adding an emotional experience to design, it enhances design using other elements. It teaches how to maintain design coherence, which is critical to crafting intuitive and engaging interfaces. Understanding user profiles and the subconscious appeal of design would be valuable for a User Interface Designer. Assignments in this course, such as analyzing existing design cases, may be quite applicable to the daily workflow.
See salaries and explore the career path for User Interface Designer
Marketing Manager
A Marketing Manager oversees marketing campaigns to promote a product, service, or brand. The focus of this course on emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology may be valuable in this career. It will give additional insight on the best methods for increasing both conscious and unconscious product appeal. This course is useful for understanding and adding an X factor appeal in design. Case studies of successful and unsuccessful designs throughout history, and their linkage to psychology, are helpful for informing marketing strategies. The course project focused on sensation transference will allow the Marketing Manager to evaluate the efficacy of current marketing strategies.
See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager
Creative Director
A Creative Director oversees the creative output of a team, ensuring brand consistency and impactful messaging. This course emphasizes emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology, which would allow for an understanding of the appeal of designs in the subconscious thought. The course also shows how to add an emotional experience to design. This course goes over how to enhance it using other elements and how to maintain design coherence. Examining case studies of design successes and failures and their linkage to psychology, like the Coca Cola bottle and VW Beetle, will inform creative strategies. Understanding the ethical social construct of design is valuable for ensuring responsible marketing decisions.
See salaries and explore the career path for Creative Director
Brand Manager
A Brand Manager is responsible for a brand's strategy and image. This course, with its focus on emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology, may be useful for someone in this role. The course may provide insight into understanding and adding an X factor appeal in design. By taking this course, one may get a much better understanding of the terminologies of design psychology, the major theories, and notable cases in history. Learning about consumer psychology of similarity will help the Brand Manager create a more impactful campaign. Discussion of successful and unsuccessful designs in history may be of general interest.
See salaries and explore the career path for Brand Manager
Design Strategist
A Design Strategist aligns design initiatives with business goals. A Design Strategist would want to learn about the practical applications of design psychology. The course goes over notable cases in history, including case studies, which enables students to better present their case in the boardroom and offer expert opinions. By using all this practical knowledge of design psychology, designers may improve their design briefs. The course touches on modern product design and case studies of design successes, which may be of general interest.
See salaries and explore the career path for Design Strategist
Art Director
An Art Director is responsible for the visual style and images in various projects. This course focuses on emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology, which may be useful in this career. The course touches on the anthropomorphic construction of fonts, color and fonts. The course helps one to understand and add an X factor appeal in design. Reviewing case studies of successful and unsuccessful designs in history and their linkage to psychology, such as the Coca Cola bottle and VW Beetle, may be broadly useful for the Art Director.
See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director
Market Research Analyst
A Market Research Analyst studies market conditions to examine potential sales of a product or service. This course's focus on emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology may be useful for someone in this role. The course goes over the consumer psychology of similarity and its practical applications. This course also goes over the appeal of design in the subconscious thought. Such information may be helpful in assessing consumer preferences. This course may be useful when it comes to the evaluation and prediction of the potential of a design's potential to become a market success.
See salaries and explore the career path for Market Research Analyst
Web Designer
A Web Designer is responsible for the visual aspects of a website, including layout, typography, and imagery. Taking this course on emotional design thinking and design psychology may be useful for a Web Designer. This course discusses how to add an emotional experience to designs. It may provide insight into how to enhance a design by using other elements and how to maintain design coherence. Learning about the anthropomorphic construction of fonts, color and fonts may be broadly useful.
See salaries and explore the career path for Web Designer
Content Strategist
A Content Strategist focuses on planning, developing, and managing content. This course's focus on emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology may be useful for someone in this role. This course helps to understand and add an X factor appeal in design. This course dives into the appeal of design in the subconscious thought. Taking this course may provide insight into how to better create functional, psychological, and cultural requirements.
See salaries and explore the career path for Content Strategist
Public Relations Specialist
A Public Relations Specialist manages a company's or individual's public image. This course's focus on emotional design, design thinking, and design psychology may be useful for someone in this role. This course dives into the major theories and notable cases in history. This course focuses on the appeal of design in the subconscious thought. This course provides a better understanding of the ethical social construct of design.
See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist
Technical Writer
A Technical Writer creates technical documentation and manuals that effectively communicate complex information. This course may be useful by providing a better understanding of modern product design. By taking this course, one may get a better grasp of conscious and subconscious product appeal. This course may be useful for understanding user profiles and awareness of psychological connection.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Emotional Design Thinking & Design Psychology Masterclass.
Cover image
Emotional Design
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Cornerstone in the field of emotional design. It explores the three levels of emotional processing: visceral, behavioral, and reflective, and how they influence our interaction with products. Reading this book will provide a strong theoretical foundation for understanding the principles discussed in the course, particularly regarding how to create designs that resonate with users on an emotional level. It is highly recommended as a reference text.
Emotional Design
Paperback
Check
Emotional Design
Kindle Edition
Check
Cover image
Don't Make Me Think, Revisited
Save
While this book focuses on usability, it provides valuable insights into how users interact with designs and the cognitive load involved. Understanding these principles is crucial for creating emotionally satisfying experiences. offers practical advice and examples that complement the theoretical concepts covered in the course. It useful reference for any designer.
Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense...
Paperback
$$
Don't Make Me Think, Revisited : A Common Sense...
Hardcover
$$$
Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense...
Kindle Edition
$$

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Rating
4.1 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Empty star
Effort
1 total hour
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Omer Masood Qureshi
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores the origins of design from cave paintings to modern product design, providing a broad historical context for understanding design principles
Examines case studies of both successful and unsuccessful designs, such as the Coca-Cola bottle and the VW Beetle, offering practical insights into what works and what doesn't
Teaches about anthropomorphism in design, covering fonts, colors, and sounds, which can help designers create more relatable and engaging products
Requires students to analyze existing designs and consider the sensations they evoke, which may be challenging for those without prior experience in sensory analysis
Includes a project that requires students to write functional and psychological design briefs, which develops skills applicable to real-world design scenarios
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