4.1 Introduction

We use all kinds of products every day; many of them have been thoughtfully and systematically designed, but not all. The product development design process is not just focused on what a product looks like, it also includes tactile features that we interact with when using a product – pushing a button, holding a bottle, carrying a pack, opening a can, or accidentally scratching a shiny surface. Most of these activities involve the proximal (close) sense of touch. Our sense of touch supports and sometimes confirms what our distal (far) sense of sight has already taken in, and together these two sensory experiences guide us in operating the product. That is why the expression “seeing is believing” is not enough; it is actually “seeing is believing, but feeling’s the truth” (Paterson, M, 2007 in Teinaki, V. et al, 2012). For example, we may see a pattern on the surface of an electric razor, and when we feel the texture of that pattern, we realize that it is likely designed for us to grip the device at that point. In this case, vision and touch work together to provide a multisensory experience, which we discuss in detail in the following chapters. In this chapter, we explore the nuances of designing for tactile experiences.

When you think about touch, your hands might come to mind first. You touch piano keys to make music, toothbrushes to clean your teeth, and tennis rackets to hit the ball. What about your feet? Do you feel comfortable when wearing shoes, skates, or ski boots to engage in activities? Even wearing nothing on your feet gives rise to the tactile experience of surface textures – sand, concrete, carpet, wood, ceramic tiles, some which are designed to provide a sense of ambiance. The designer oversees the quality of these touch experiences so that you feel comfortable using products you purchase or work with. The manufacturer doesn’t want you to feel buttons sticking, glasses that are too heavy, floors that are slippery, or tools that slide around during a precise task.

Social scientists have even argued that some everyday objects feel so comfortable that they can be considered bodily extensions. Grandpa’s cane helps him feel so stable when walking on the street that he won’t go anywhere without it. Aunt Pia is such a wiz with a drill it’s like her hand has melded with the tool to make accurate holes when hanging pictures. Thank a designer for paying close attention to how we use the things we do our tasks with because they apply that knowledge to enhance the tactile features of a range of everyday products. However, Sonia wishes someone would design better bicycle handlebars for her so that her hands feel integrated with her bike, instead of initiating agonizing wrist cramps after a 45-minute ride on rough terrain! Not all tactile experiences are fun!

In this chapter, we explore the relationship between touch and design from four perspectives: tactile aesthetics, tactile experiences, material qualities, and meanings associated with material sensations. You will learn about:

• Tactile aesthetics of objects.
• How different skin sensations contribute to tactile experiences.
• Material characteristics that affect our sense of touch.
• How product surfaces contribute to tactile interactions.
• The nature of surface perfections and imperfections.
• Emotional and cognitive interpretations related to tactile memories and experiences.
• Tactile Affordances.