Adrienne Otto

Design as Inquiry Assignment 4 Tutor: Vanessa Crowe | Adrienne Otto

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DECISIONS: EVERYDAY OBJECTS

As everything is designed for a reason, When buying everyday objects we are using a Habitual decision making process because we create a relationship with these objects.

Table of Contents

Introduction..........................................................................................................................3

Discussion.............................................................................................................................4

Conclusion............................................................................................................................6

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Introduction

Every object has been designed with a purpose, When we decide to buy an everyday object we go

through a Decision making process, this process helps us mark our own individuality to the people

around us. Buying a everyday object is an emotional act, we create relationships with the objects

around us and tend to stick with objects that we are familiar with. When purchasing a everyday

object because of this emotional attachment with what we are familiar with and what we associate

with our individuality we tend to use a habitual decision making process, this means we do not use

an extended process to choose what we want. This process we all go through may differ but we all

go through it, even when its subconsciously. This bond we create with these objects play a huge part

to which objects we choose in the end, this bond may not be specifically associated with that

particular object but its branding and aesthetics associated with a brand. People also tend to buy

objects which have a story behind them, this story building makes s believe we have something

different to what anyone else will have, this is a large factor for us when presenting our individuality

through our possessions. This relationship is not only with the objects themselves but with the

brands we associate with the objects. These relationships we develop are what shapes our

perceptions and tastes of objects. We also have so many options available to us, why do we buy the

objects we end up with? These everyday objects act as indicators of individuality. Though the more

options available to us the less satisfaction we have when making a choice, this is mainly due to the

fact that we have regrets we didn't choose another option.

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Discussion

We all have our own unique decision making process, sometimes we have an extended process

sometimes just a habitual process. In 'Marketing' (Elliott, Rundle-Thiele, & Waller, 2010) the basic

decision making process is discussed. When making a decision when buying a product we go through

starts with recognition that we may want or need something to do a job, we then move into a search

for information finding products that do the job. We then look into evaluating the options available

to us, the options are found in the information finding step. Finally we purchase the object that we

think ticks all the boxes. Though this process is different for each of us, we follow those steps,

though when making an habitual decision we tend to leave out the information seeking step this

step isn't warranted but " When lacking information to evaluate a given product, consumers will

make their evaluation according to whatever references they are provided" (Correia de Barros,

Duarte, & Bulas Cruz, 2011) for instance when buying a pen, we all buy pens, but we do not research

all the available options, instead we go into a shop and have a look at what their selling, we evaluate

which of the pens available to us will suit our needs. We also tend to choose objects that we have

developed familiarity with.

These relationships we build with everyday objects as described in 'Quotidian' says that " What is

everyday other than living it? We live around, through and alongside objects. Every object has been

designed, but some objects are considered common because we take them for granted." (Blomeley,

2011). This statement suggests that as we live our lives alongside everyday objects , so these objects

become recognized as being common to us. When this happens we create a relationship with the

everyday objects, when these objects get replayed we tend to go back to what we are used to. this

means we keep our everyday objects familiar to ourselves. This relationship with the familiar is

instinctive as described by Ann Burkhart "Because we experience these material forms every day,

the ways in which they convey ideas and influence our movements and lives does not usually

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register in our consciousness and often goes without notice" (2006). This explains very well why we

tend to over look these objects in our everyday.

This bond we create with these objects is expressed very well in 'The Mezzanine' by Nicolson Baker

(1990). Baker describes the relationship between himself and a paper bag, the decision making

process he goes through when he was asked whether he would like one. His personification of the

bag leads me to believe he understands the perceptions of others, mentioning the idea of inside

food "food meant to be eaten indoors, they felt, should be seen only indoors". This example makes it

easy to understand the relationships we create subconsciously with objects. When given a paper bag

by itself you do not tend to interpreted it as hiding the contents, because there are no contents. As

soon as there are contents in the bag its hiding its contents. This relationship with this paper bag as a

barrier hiding people's perceptions of what may be inside the bag, leaving a sense of mystery.

People create an identity using the objects we keep around us, which brands we use. These objects

we take for granted allow us to live our lives the way we do and allow us to create an identity for

ourselves, this identity helps us present our individuality to the people around us. Judy Attfield in her

book 'Wild things- the Material culture of everyday life' (2000) discusses the relationship developed

between the object and the person. She explains how our everyday objects can be more than just a

'thing' we buy for a certain reason they are also a way of developing who we are and showing others

this as well. How our Taste is "a class culture turned into nature, that is, embodied, helps to shape

the class body. It is an incorporated principle of classification which governs all forms of

incorporation, choosing and modifying everything that the body ingests and digests and assimilates,

physiologically and psychologically"(2000 p242) Our perceptions and taste portray who we are to

the outside world. When we buy objects we subconsciously think about the people around us think,

buying brands and objects that we identify with. these objects act as a way to present ourselves to

the outside world. Like in the 'ThrMezzanine' Attfield describes this well throughout her book

making connections with objects and culture. Attfield also mentions the everyday as being a term

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used for banal items, this is a general belief among most people. this means people overlook these

objects, but we all associate the objects we use and buy with our identity. This is demonstrated well

by Donald A. Norman in ' Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things' Norman

describes his collection of tea pots. He explains the characteristics which lead him into buying these

three teapots, though one is unusable, the still purchased these three teapots. He doesn't use them

on a regular basis instead makes his tea in his cup. but these teapots each have their own story, they

all have their own story to tell. Sometimes using the different teapots (the usable ones) to show off

to visitors "I brew my tea in the Nanna teapot for its charm or the tilting teapot for its cleverness"

(Norman, 2003) this object represents who he is, using quirky characteristic objects shows his

individuality.

As suggested by Barry Swartz in his TED talks, video, as the world increases in choices for us, we do

need to make more decisions than people years before had to. These choices have meant we are

able to customize and be more 'free' but “The more options there are, the easier it is to regret

anything at all that is disappointing about the option that you chose.” (Schwartz, 2005) This makes

the freedom we feel we have to be overwhelmed by the idea, what if I chose the other option? this

leads to a paradox in feelings you weigh up the options but what you don't knave makes you want

that more. this is true for all choices you make including everyday objects. Everyday objects you

sometimes feel as though you made the best decision when you buy it but down the line you may

feel regret, maybe another option was better looking and you wish you bought something with more

aesthetical appeal. The biggest problem with having as many options as we have it makes it harder

for all of us to make the decision we need to.

But the bond we create with certain objects over time, the 'history' we have of the objects is very

significant to why we buy objects. this bond Is described repeatedly through a number of other Ted

videos including, 'The origins of pleasure' By Paul Bloom. We create a bond with objects “We don’t

just respond to things as we see them, or feel them, or hear them. Rather, our response is

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conditioned on our beliefs, about what they really are, what they came from, what they’re made of,

what their hidden nature is.” (2011) Bloom Uses paintings as examples, though same can be said for

everyday objects, we create a connection with our everyday objects because of the story we create

or recognize in the object, this story helps us decide what objects to purchase and use. For example

in the 'Mezzanine' the story about the paper bag hiding the foods inside is a n example of this story.

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Conclusion

The idea of individuality drives each and every one of us to make the decisions we make when

deciding what to buy. This individuality we seek is only visible to others through what we own. Our

everyday objects are not an exception to this trend, we buy things due to our relationships we

create with these objects, we associate our objects and possessions with stories we ourselves

connect with these objects. These stories, we create to go along with our possessions allow us to

create emotional attachments with these objects. These attachments make us loyal to that specific

objects. Making us present who we are through the objects we have around us and we tend to

make decisions based on what's familiar to us, these decisions represent us in everyday life. As

stated in ' Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things' Norman states how he has a

'collection' of tea pots, and how these teapots are there to present to others as a form of

individuality, Attfield also presents that emotions and decisions made when purchasing these objects

creates an individuality that we wouldn't have otherwise, she also states how our emotional

attachment to these objects helps us create our own story of the objects. These relationships are a

very important part of how we make decisions, especially the decision which of these will be the

best object for me? this question embodies the thesis statement presented to you in the

introduction. As time goes however we are attempting at giving more freedom to the consumers this

drive for more individuality and more options we make a relationship with these objects though the

more choices available the harder to feel satisfied with your final decision. Because we still envy the

fact that we didn't choose another object this makes us envious of what may have been.

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BibliographyAttfield, J. (2000). Wild Things: The Material Culture of Everyday Life (Materializing Culture). Oxford:

Berg. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=qzwLiqOsrO0C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false

Blomeley, M. (2011). Quotidian. Auckland: Objectspace Gallery.

Bloom, P. (Director). (2011). The origins of pleasure [Motion Picture]. TED global.

Burkhart, A. (2006). Object Lessons: Thinking about Material Culture. Art Education, 59(2), 33-39. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/docview/199375378/fulltext?accountid=14782

Correia de Barros, A., Duarte, C., & Bulas Cruz, J. (2011). The Influence of Context on Product Judgement – Presenting Assistive Products as Consumer Goods. International Journal of Design, 5(3), 99-112.

Elliott, G., Rundle-Thiele, S., & Waller, D. (2010). Marketing. Australia: John Wilet & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Norman, D. (2003). Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things (1st ed.). New York: Basic Books. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Design-Love-Everyday-Things/dp/0465051359

Schwartz, B. (Director). (2005). Barry Schwartz on the paradox of choice [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html

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