Pursuit of methodology for data input related to taste in design: Using eye tracking technology

Being knowledgeable and using the knowledge accurately is the basis for all development. Knowledge sheds light for the designers on the topics of correct decision making and early intervention while assessing the success of current products. The aesthetic value of a product is the fundamental point of communication between the designer and the user. Therefore, with the aim of accessing the hidden aesthetic taste in the users via the user, eye tracking technology was used as a tool since the sight has a great influence on one’s internal world. Within this scope, it was decided to work on a static product group, and 40 armchair variations were created as a sample. The eye movements on armchairs with variable stylistic features and the taste evaluations of 60 participants were monitored via the three different stages of the experiments. In line with the main objective of the study, significant and guiding outputs were obtained. The results showed that the taste related to the product can be understood via the eye with viewing metrics such as time to first fixation, first fixation duration, fixation count and duration, visit count and duration, and that the knowledge of view could affect the design decisions. On the other hand, a road map and a procedure were created for the purposes of accessing the implicit taste information for the design practice through using the eye tracking technology.