A UX Model for the Communication of Experience Affordances

This paper outlines a model that aims to support the design for the User Experience (UX). Assuming the satisfaction of users’ psychological needs as fundamental factor to a positive UX, this study describes a representation of the possibilities offered by an artefact for the satisfaction of said needs. To this end, it adopts the concept of experience affordances as a starting point for the development of a model that frames experience affordances from a design-as-communication perspective. The model developed herein offers a schematic representation of experience affordances, as well as defines the role of the elements involved in the satisfaction of user's psychological needs through functional relationships. Benefits and limitations of the proposed model are discussed against two alternative communication models already available in literature. The advantages provided by said model can be found in the eventual support for the synthesis of solutions, due to the clear representation of the factors identified as composing an experience affordance.