A Comparative Study of Design Perceptions of Vehicle Cluster Instruments by Designers and Non-Designers in India and Germany

Abstract: Cultural differences in the perception of products can be studied by using the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT) where the idiosyncratic views of individuals are studied. This study examines the perceptions and prioritization of attributes with regard to six existing vehicle cluster instrument designs with thirteen designers each from India and Germany along with thirteen non-designers each from India and Germany (i.e., comparing German designers with Indian non-designers and Indian designers with German non-designers). The elicited constructs from interviews using RGT were categorized according to Hassenzhal’s (2004) Pragmatic and Hedonic qualities and their subcategories. The categorized data was compared along three metrics of Dominance, Importance and Descriptive Richness. Comparing designers and non-designers across cultures indicated differences in perceptions owing to the cultural background and education in design. For example, German designers emphasized the pragmatic aspects in comparison to Indian non-designers. Alternatively, Indian designers placed more importance to the Identification aspects (ex., exclusive, premium, sporty, etc) when compared to German non-designers. The design implications of these findings provide hints to designers on how to go about designing for Indian and German audiences.

Keywords: Repertory Grid Technique, Cultural Differences, Design Perceptions

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001231

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