The role of designer-customer collaboration for product customization and assessment

This paper addresses issues related to the assessment of product designs that today successfully uses virtual prototyping methods and techniques. Design assessment is usually performed by engineers and designers. Current trend is involving customers in the products design assessment in order to check the level of acceptability and satisfaction before proceeding with the production. In this view, methods for design review may be used in participatory design sessions where customers can intervene for customizing products. The paper presents a tool that has been originally developed for designers for the validation and modification of aesthetic properties of digital shapes, and that has also been used by customers, in participatory design sessions, for customizing their products.