Chapter 2
Comparative Analysis of the Users’
Kansei Evolutions Over Their Short
and Long-Lived Products’ Lifetimes
in Iran
Seyed Javad Zafarmand
Abstract Indeed, a sustainable product ought to be able to last throughout its
expected lifetime not only objectively, but subjectively. The concept of Product
Subjective Sustainability (PSjS) is to address ‘a product capability to age emotionally/affectively/aesthetically and last satisfyingly and pleasantly during its expected
long/short lifetime’. Using Kansei Engineering approach, in order to approach PSjS
experientially, this paper presents the results of an analytical study on the evolution
of Iranian users’ Kansei comparatively respecting their short-life and long-life products during the entire lifetimes of these products. The short and long lived product
types specified for this research are respectively mobile phone, private passenger car
and traditional handicraft.
Keywords Product subjective sustainability · Psychological lifetime · Mobile
phone · Passenger car · Handicraft
2.1 Introduction
The studies regarding sustainability are mostly done on its objective aspects, whereas
its subjective side have not been observed adequately (Hart 1994, 1995), though the
importance of subjective aspects of sustainability has been reinforced within some
scientific debates (Douven et al. 1995; Fricker 1998; Stirling 1999; Jacob and Brinkerhoff 1999; Kemp and Martens 2007). The key challenge of “subjective environmental
aspects of products and processes” has been discussed in design research since the
last years of the 20th century (Hoffman 1997). Nevertheless, the importance given
to the subjective issues of sustainability within design research has been increased
(Childs et al. 2006). The focus of design research concerning such issues is on ‘lifetime optimization of products’ (Nv and Cramer 2003). Nes and Cramer proposed five
design strategies for product longevity among which ‘product attachment’ seems to
S. J. Zafarmand (B)
Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
e-mail: zafarmand@shirazu.ac.ir
Industrial Design Department, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_2
17
Comparative Analysis of the Users’
Kansei Evolutions Over Their Short
and Long-Lived Products’ Lifetimes
in Iran
Seyed Javad Zafarmand
Abstract Indeed, a sustainable product ought to be able to last throughout its
expected lifetime not only objectively, but subjectively. The concept of Product
Subjective Sustainability (PSjS) is to address ‘a product capability to age emotionally/affectively/aesthetically and last satisfyingly and pleasantly during its expected
long/short lifetime’. Using Kansei Engineering approach, in order to approach PSjS
experientially, this paper presents the results of an analytical study on the evolution
of Iranian users’ Kansei comparatively respecting their short-life and long-life products during the entire lifetimes of these products. The short and long lived product
types specified for this research are respectively mobile phone, private passenger car
and traditional handicraft.
Keywords Product subjective sustainability · Psychological lifetime · Mobile
phone · Passenger car · Handicraft
2.1 Introduction
The studies regarding sustainability are mostly done on its objective aspects, whereas
its subjective side have not been observed adequately (Hart 1994, 1995), though the
importance of subjective aspects of sustainability has been reinforced within some
scientific debates (Douven et al. 1995; Fricker 1998; Stirling 1999; Jacob and Brinkerhoff 1999; Kemp and Martens 2007). The key challenge of “subjective environmental
aspects of products and processes” has been discussed in design research since the
last years of the 20th century (Hoffman 1997). Nevertheless, the importance given
to the subjective issues of sustainability within design research has been increased
(Childs et al. 2006). The focus of design research concerning such issues is on ‘lifetime optimization of products’ (Nv and Cramer 2003). Nes and Cramer proposed five
design strategies for product longevity among which ‘product attachment’ seems to
S. J. Zafarmand (B)
Faculty of Art and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
e-mail: zafarmand@shirazu.ac.ir
Industrial Design Department, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_2
17