The multi-disciplinary nature of kansei research: an historical approach

Abstract

During the last three decades, kansei engineering has expanded greatly and has been highly recognized both in the industrial and the academic worlds. Nowadays, the term ‘kansei engineering’ is so strong in the kansei community that activities related to kansei, but not to engineering, keep on naming themselves kansei engineering research. This prevents the emancipation of other kansei disciplines, the enrichment of the field by the multiplication of point-of-views, and the dialogue between disciplines to understand better what kansei and kansei related disciplines are about. By presenting the historical path of kansei research and exploring the variety of disciplines within kansei research, I point out the multi-disciplinary nature of kansei research. Thereafter, I focus on three disciplines directly related to the making of physical artifacts: kansei engineering, kansei science, and kansei design. Whereas kansei engineering and kansei science have found their roots in scientifically established approaches (respectively engineering and brain science), kansei design intends to return to earlier Japanese philosophical or cultural works to rediscover the essence of kansei, and to use them as inspirational means for design. A case study of kansei research through design is also presented.