제품 디자인 과정에서 시각 인지적 체적 최소화를 위한 조형 기법 제안

Throughout the course of a product design process that is based on co-work across different functions, conflicts between industrial designers and engineers occur often due to a product’s size issues coupled with engineering structure. When mutual efforts do not yield to a solution other than designers’ reluctant consent to adjust the size to meet engineering requirements, designers tend to rely on their own capabilities and subjective decision as there is no systematic guide to deal with the size issue. This research aimed to search methods for visually perceived size minimization and find relevant design elements as means of solving the size issue occurring during a product design process. First, theory on visual perception was examined to clarify perception processes of three-dimensional objects’ form and size. Second, design elements of curvature, tilt and edge treatment were extracted as a guidance for tests on the perceived size. Third, those design elements were applied to form 10 different shaped prototypes that were based on the actual inner structure of the battery case used on the cordless vacuum cleaner. Five rounds of tests were done asking participants to select the smallest looking object each time. The result showed that prototypes with rounded edge and curved surface were perceived smaller than others. Combination of rounded edge either with curved surface or tilted side surface showed minimal perceived size. The result also presented a positive relationship between the perceived size and the visual angle derived from perceived outmost contours. Bringing outmost boundaries closer to each other can be used as a design technique to make a product look smaller. Future research includes influence of surface characteristics on perceived size through the play of light and shade and methods for perceived size minimization of more complicated form.