How to Test a Product. The Influence of Different Visualization Techniques in the Evaluation of General Parameters of an Everyday Product

Testing products during the design process is a crucial activity for product success. However, testing physical prototypes can be costly, both in terms of money and time. The use of emergence of technologies i.e., Virtual Reality (VR) and Virtual Reality with Passive Haptics (VRPH), as well as the use of traditional methods such as sketches or photorealistic images provide interesting alternatives for design teams. This research compares the use of traditional physical prototypes with virtual representations (VR and VRPH) as well as with the use of conceptual representations (sketches), showing certain differences between the representation techniques in two different situations. This study provides recommendations on the effective use of these representations across six general parameters, which can help both the design process and product sales. Our results suggest that virtual display media can exaggerate users’ perceived emotions. Furthermore, our research reveals that both virtual and conceptual environments can increase the likelihood of a user buying a product. However, a conceptual environment can also confuse users in their perception of a product's weight, dimensions and cost. Based on these findings, the authors encourage industrial designers to develop new methodologies to optimize the design process and minimize costs.