The modern-day devices and technologies that have become integral to people's daily lives, such as computers, televisions, and smartphones, have the remarkable ability to evoke a wide range of emotional reactions and have the abilities to influence our lives. This dynamic interplay between users and the objects they engage with is known as the 'Product-Emotion Cycle'. The Product-Emotion Cycle is the evolving dynamic between the product and the user during their interaction. It begins with the user experiencing an initial emotional response, influencing their behaviour towards the product. Subsequently, the product undergoes changes as a result of this interaction, further controlling or sustaining the user's emotional response. This process unfolds throughout the entire interactive experience.

The success of products hinges on their ability to elicit positive emotional responses that align with the product's purpose and meet user expectations. When a product can evoke positive emotions with users, it contributes to a fulfilling and rewarding user experience.

When it comes to design, most people immediately think of usability. How a product functions and meets our expectations determines whether we will continue using it. However, there are countless products that not only need to be usable but also provide a positive emotional experience. Take a computer game, for example; it may have excellent controls, but players will likely look for something else if the overall gaming experience needs to be improved. In today's market, it's not enough for a product to work well – it also needs to offer a satisfying and enjoyable experience.

Our emotions are always changing based on what's happening around us. While some emotions can occur without any outside influence, most changes are caused by things around us. Emotions are physical and mental changes that happen naturally and in response to events in our environment. These changes are influenced by how we think, how we feel at the time, and things happening outside of us. Designers need to understand how their products affect users and how they can make them better for users, which can improve our lives.

For more detailed information on this topic, watch my short video podcast, where I go into further detail on the subject of emotional design.