Research on the method of measuring a user's Taste-KANSEIConsideration through the classification of a bench

Namgyu KANG , Toshimasa YAMANAKA

University of Tsukuba Institute of Art & Design1-1-1 Tennodai Tsukuba-shi Ibaraki 305-0006 JAPAN,
rainkng1@hotmail.com
University of Tsukuba Institute of Art & Design1-1-1 Tennodai Tsukuba-shi Ibaraki 305-0006 JAPAN,
tyam@geijutsut.tsukuba.ac.jp

Abstract: The city circumference environment is becoming adverse, the spaces for resting have beenarranged in order to attract people. In the last few years the preference for this kind of places has
been increasing. The bench of the park is a common used street furniture. The purpose of thisresearch is grasping the taste sensitivity of the user when choosing a product.

Therefore, a user's

taste sensitivity is grasped by an experiment that classifies 50 different photographs of benches. This
research examined sensitivity concerning the way consumers’ heart works whenever they want to sit
down. The experiment was divided into gender, blood type, and character, and the standard of thetime concerning the classification, and the number of groups and classification which divided, theselected degree of concentration of a bench and taste sensitivity, etc. have been grasped by taxonomy.
Classification was made considering: atmosphere, supplies, form, quality of the material and structure.
It turns out through this research that the taste sensitivity of the users changes depending on theperson. However, although the data based on gender did not show the tendency to have intercourse totaste sensitivity as a result of distributed analysis, it turns out that the blood type and character tend
to affect taste sensitivity. This result is applied to product design development process, and if theaverage of usability prevents production of a not useful product beforehand and progresses, it isthought that it can contribute to creation of comfortable street rest culture.
Key words: KANSEI, Taste-KANSEI, KANSEI evaluation, classification, bench

1. Introduction

These days, there are many types of the same product (for example, stone bench, wooden bench, tallbench, short bench, etc．) and even products which overlap (a cell phone which also functions as a camera).
One product has many different forms, colors and functions. Therefore, we don’t only choose products
considering the performance or function, but also according to our taste.

Choice by taste means that anindividual sets one's own standard, classifies products by the standard and chooses the products. Emotionis the reaction of the natural and native character rather than the reaction of its will or intention. When youbuy a certain product, KANSEI takes place in a consumer’s mind. For this study, we will use different kinds

of benches in order to understand a person’s KANSEI and Taste – KANSEI (KODAWARI).

2. Purpose of Research

When a consumer chooses a product, they have several questions or concerns.
The consumer picks what suits their preference KANSEI or Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI).

It is said

that Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI). Depends highly on individual differences and it is hard to understandthis academically. In this research, I would like to find what influences Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI)..
The purpose of this research is to understand these influences to help us design better products which willmeet the demands and desires of consumers.

3. Method of research & outline of investigation

3-1. Bibliographic investigation

KANSEI is subjective and unexplainable. But, it is said that KANSEI is the interaction between intuition
and intellectual activity. In research scientists use a logical method that defines matters as quantitativethings. This is known as quantitative analysis. From the perspective of design, we say that KANSEI is theexpression of a mixture of people’s accumulated knowledge and experience.

Thus, the definition ofKANSEI is different according to the each individual.
Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI) is dependent on a person’s taste and preference.
affects preference is called preference sensitivity.

The mental capacity that

Sensitivity of the mind is unexplainable.

Sensitivity

added to innate nature is known as recognition expression. Fundamentally, a principle and basis are basedon the logical and actual system. So, in all cases, they should be constant, ubiquitous and trustworthy.
Because people’s preferences are so varied, we have to recognize them systematically.

We have to findthe principle values and criteria that are common in people’s mentality.

Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI) has features like these:a. The motive of choice is one’s own personality and sensitivity. As absolute value-criteria, the motive ofselection is the objective and essential decision-making factor.
b. In a group, the character of preference sensitivity is made by the common aspects of each member’sTaste-KANSEI (KODAWARI).
c. Specific Taste-KANSEI (KODAWARI)

exists irrespective of specific groups or gender.

is a pure subconscious mentality, the extent of Taste-KANSEI (KODAWARI)

Because it

doesn’t change greatly.

Taste-KANSEI (KODAWARI) means the strongest personal sensitivity that exists in one’ssubconsciousness.

Compared with that, the self-related preference that expresses one’s value, and thedignity-suggestion preference that makes someone prefer the brands are changeable as time passes by.
The Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI) is changeable to some degree by experience and surroundings.

d. The people who sympathize with the specific Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI) can ignore other kinds ofpreference.
e. To every person, the Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI) is unchangeable because it has existed for a longtime.

4-2. Experiment4-2-1. The experiment concerning the classification of benches: subjects consist of 19 males and 23
females who have various jobs. Their ages are from 10 to 40.
4-2-1-1. Before the experiment, the Mosley - Personality Test and statistical investigation are carriedout to collect subjects' characteristics. By the experiment, we can know the subjects’ extroversion
levels.
4-2-1-2. I used pictures of 50 benches for this experiment. Before the experiment, I removed all
surroundings that could affect the subjects’ decisions.
were on a board.

Subjects classified 50 pictures which

Then they described in detail their standards of classification with freeexpression.
4-2-1-3. Subjects were directed to select a few benches (about 5) which they wanted to sit on.
I monitored the time taken for selections and compared the results with the outcome of theexperiment.

Fig.1 . Scenery of experiment

5. The result and Analysis of experiment.
5-1. Relation between preference-KANSEI and gender, character and a blood type.
Preference- KANSEI (KODAWARI) seemed to be related to gender, character, and a blood type. But,according to the result of 「analysis of variance」, compared with the relevance of gender, character, andpreference-KANSEI having been weak. It compares with this, the P-value of a blood type andpreference-KANSEI is 0.04145. This result show us that blood type relate with preference-KANSEI.

5-2. Relation between Taste-KANSEI (KODAWARI) and the divided numbers of groups, the selected
degree of concentration.

Considering the preference-KANSEI (KODAWARI) over a bench, it can be assumed that it is regarded as
multiplication relation between reasonable judgment and emotions-judgment. From an experiment result,reasonable judgment is the time concerning the classification and the number of groups. And,emotions-judgment is the degree of concentration. That is, Subjects consider the various fields which thebench has, so that Subjects divided many groups. On the contrary, Subjects consider about only favoritestyle and the favorite feature, so that the degree of concentration of the group to which the favorite bench
belongs is high.

Subject's preference-KANSEI (KODAWARI) is known by comparing these twoelements.

Table1. Relation between a group, degree of concentration and KODAWARI

Moreover, Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI) grasped by this method, a designer and an ordinary person show adifferent result.

Table2. a designer's result.
Negative correlation (r < 0)

Table2. an ordinary person's result.
Positive correlation (r > 0)

5-3； Data based on main-ingredients analysis

However, since it turned out whether this data is truly reliable, main-ingredients analysis considered a
subject's data. The data used for this analysis is data quantified. Data was the degree of concentration of
the benches and the divided number of groups and the time concerning the classification. Consequently, it
exceeds 82% with the 1st and 2 main ingredients, and this two data can explain the characteristic of theevaluation to a subject's bench. The 1st main ingredients require time for a classification, and since it
becomes strong to both the things that degree of concentration becomes low so that there are many groups.
The 1st main ingredients can be said that reasonable judgment is meant. Since the 2nd main ingredients
become strong to both the things that the number of groups and degree of concentration become high at itso that time becomes short, this data can say that it is well shown by the characteristic of a subject's
Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI). If Taste–KANSEI(KODAWARI ) is a strong subject, a classification does
not take time and there are many divided groups. Moreover, the degree of concentration of the selectedbench is high.

5-4；

Quantification of Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ) ; (KODAWARI coefficient)

How to quantify Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ) from data is defined as follows.

「A degree-of-concentration coefficient」 means positioning of the bench which the subject
chose.

That is, as the group in which the bench which the subject chose is located decreases,

a degree-of-concentration coefficient becomes higher. The degree-of-concentration coefficientis measured by the following formula.

The Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ) coefficient of the subjects who measured by the method is as follows.

Subjectnumber

KODAWARI
coefficient

Subject
number

KODAWARI
coefficient

Subject
number

KODAWARI
coefficient

10.25

150.5

29

0.71

20.8

160.6

30

0.4

30.8

170.6

31

0.5

40.67

180.57320.750.6

190.6

33

0.64

6

0.5

200.6

340.75

70.9

210.5

35

0.63

80.67

220.9

360.6790.75

230.64

37

0.5

100.8

240.4

380.75110.33

25

0.56

39

0.8

120.25

26

0.86

40

0.5

130.75270.75

41

0.8

140.5

280.6742

0.8

Table4. KODAWARI coefficient

A lower table expresses this data in graph. If this is seen, the strength of individualTaste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ) can be compared.

The degree evaluation of KODAWARI
10.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.30.20.10NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
12 3 4 5 6 7

NO NO NO
8 9 10NO NO NO NO NO NO
11 12 13 14 15 16

NO17NO NO
18 19

NO20NO NO
21 22

NO23NO NO
24 25

NO26NO NO
27 28

NO29

NO NO NO30 31 32

NO33

NO NO
34 35

NO36

NO NO NO37 38 39

NO NO
40 41

NO
42

Table5. The degree evaluation of KODAWARI

Since it turned out whether this Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ) coefficient is really appropriate, two correlation
coefficients were measured for a main-ingredients score and Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI )the 2nd main ingredients.

coefficient ofSubjectnumberMain-ingredientsanalysis

Prejudicecoefficient

Subject
numberMain-ingredientsanalysis

Prejudicecoefficient

1-1.428

0.25

23

0.209

0.64

2

1.186

0.8

24-0.977

0.4

3

0.421

0.8

25-0.325

0.56

4

0.003

0.67

26

0.900

0.86

5-0.447

0.6

27

0.224

0.75

6-0.6160.5

28-0.423

0.67

7

2.139

0.9

29

0.425

0.71

8-0.0240.67

30-0.780

0.4

9

0.224

0.75

31-0.503

0.5

100.421

0.8

32

0.543

0.7

11-1.170

0.33

33

0.097

0.64

12-1.400

0.25

34

0.111

0.75

130.8200.75

35-0.1320.63

14-0.5270.5

36-0.1980.67

15-0.559

0.5

37-0.672

0.5

16-0.475

0.6

38

0.763

0.75

17-0.250

0.6

39

1.411

0.8

18-0.1320.57

40-0.4700.5

19-0.390

0.6

41

0.449

0.8

20-0.193

0.6

42

0.449

0.8

21-0.752

0.5

22

2.054

0.9

Table6.

Correlation coefficient

0.917

The correlation coefficient of main-ingredients analysis and a KODAWARI coefficient

As a result of measuring a correlation coefficient, two correlation coefficients were 0.917. It can be said that
the Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ) coefficient measured by time concerning the classification, the divided
number of groups, and the number of groups with which the bench belongs is reliable.

6. Conclusion, and Assignment

Arranging and classifying products affects product design.

Since all human beings are unique, everyone

has a different classification method. The methods of choosing a product also differ.

In short, people'sKansei about a classification of a product (in this case a bench) has large individual difference. Gender,
blood type and character show the tendencies and features of Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ).
the strength of Taste – KANSEI (KODAWARI )Moreover,of the user by the KODAWARI coefficient can begrasped. The tendency or the feature of this Taste-KANSEI(KODAWARI ) should not be disregarded in theproduct design process.

In the future, I would like to attempt to define which people have stronger Taste – KANSEI (KODAWARI ).
I would like to analyze and compare data between these users and others who are less affected and weigheddown by this phenomenon. I would also like to make a positive hypothesis about a user's taste sensitivity
through research not only on benches but other products as well.

References
1. HaradaAkira; [KANSEI Evaluation 1 (University of Tsukuba Project Research Organization reportCollection 1997, Classified by Sensitivity Evaluation Structure Model Construction), ] Maeda printing, 1997
2. Harada

Akira ; [KANSEI evaluation 2 (University of Tsukuba project research organization report collection

1998, Classified by sensitivity evaluation structure model construction), ] Maeda printing, 1998
3. Sato Kunio and Hirasawa Tetsuya ; Technique of KANSEI marketing

1996

4. Her Sung-choul , Harada Akira ; research on the KANSEI information processing which utilized the intuitive
distance measure, University of Tsukuba