Reflective Design is the third and highest level in Don Norman's model of emotional design, representing the conscious, deliberative thought layer of the mind. At this level a person consciously evaluates a product: "Can I tell a story about it? Does it appeal to my self-image, to my pride?" Unlike the automatic visceral level or the unconscious behavioral level, reflective design engages rational judgment, weighing a product's pros and cons and considering what owning or using it means to the individual's identity.

Rutgers University

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Don Norman proposes the emotional system consists of three different, yet interconnected levels, each of which influences our experience of the world in a particular way. The three levels are visceral, behavioral, and reflective. 

(1)The visceral level is responsible for the ingrained, automatic and almost animalistic qualities of human emotion, which are almost entirely out of our control. 
(2)The behavioral level refers to the controlled aspects of human action, where we unconsciously analyze a situation so as to develop goal-directed strategies most likely to prove effective in the shortest time, or with the fewest actions, possible. 
(3)The reflective level is, as Don Norman states, "...the home of reflection, of conscious thought, of learning of new concepts and generalisations about the world". 

These three levels, while classified as separate dimensions of the emotional system, are linked and influence one another to create our overall emotional experience of the world.

Norman's Three Levels of Design

According to Don Norman, the reflective level of design is the highest of the three cognitive processing levels. It represents the conscious, rational thought layer of the human mind where individuals reflect on experiences, learn new concepts, and generalize about the world. Unlike the automatic visceral and unconscious behavioral levels, the reflective level is where users intellectualize designs, weighing their pros and cons and evaluating how they appeal to personal identity and self-image.

Reflective Level of Design

Visceral design concerns itself with appearances and represents an immediate, deep-level gut reaction (first impression) to a product's perceptible qualities. For example, a grandfather clock offers no more features or time-telling functions than a small, featureless mantelpiece clock, but the visceral (deep-rooted, unconscious, subjective, and automatic feelings) qualities distinguish the two in the eyes of the owner.

Visceral Design

Behavioral design concerns the pleasure and effectiveness of use, and is closely related to what is often called usability—the practical and functional aspects of a product or any usable thing in our environment. It focuses on how users carry out their activities: how quickly and accurately they can achieve their aims, how many errors they make while performing tasks, and how well the product accommodates both skilled and inexperienced users.

Behavioral Design

Don Norman proposes the emotional system consists of three different, yet interconnected levels, each of which influences our experience of the world in a particular way. The three levels are 1) visceral, 2) behavioral, and 3) reflective. These three levels, while classified as separate dimensions of the emotional system, are linked and influence one another to create our overall emotional experience of the world.

The visceral level of design is responsible for the ingrained, automatic and almost animalistic qualities of human emotion, which are almost entirely out of our control. 

Visceral Level of Design

The behavioral level of design refers to the controlled aspects of human action, where we unconsciously analyze a situation so as to develop goal-directed strategies most likely to prove effective in the shortest time, or with the fewest actions, possible. 

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