What do you think of Maeda’s observations on simplicity and emotion?

Maeda’s observations on simplicity and emotion is that simplicity and emotions are not directly proportionate nor do they scale together. An object that is very simple and Modernist may bring some people happiness or another desired emotional response, but everyone has their own perception and this can greatly affect the emotional result of this object. This goes past objects and can be applied to incorporeal entities, such as thoughts, conversations, or even sites and games on the internet.

How can designing for emotion foster engagement?

Designing for emotion is the process of crafting to get a rise out of a consumers. This can be done by using color, text, key words, and a plethora of other attributes that can cause one to be drawn to and respond to a given creation. When one is emotionally involved with something, in a sense they come to own it. It becomes part of something they know, they become protective of it on a level, and they will choose it again and again over an unfamiliar item, even if performing a vaguely similar function. When one feels a closeness to something, or that they own it in some way, the natural response is to interact with it and when unable to interact, wanting to interact with it.

Is there an object or design that you are attached to?

There are a few art styles that I am particularly attached to that I find, when applied to objects or design, increase the likeliness of me wanting to interact with an object. Styles that attempt to modernize or stylize pre-Christian styles – such as the art style of the Hawaiians, Egyptians, Greeks, Norse, Aztecs, and Mayans. An example of this is a piece of art by the deviantart artist shoomlah called Pele, Fire Goddess of Kilauea. Designs and objects based off of or clearly inspired by pre-Christian art styles are more likely to end up in my personal inventory and in my thoughts.