Human instincts or senses are built to protect or experience the joy. Thus human instincts supported by auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, and taste senses have equipped us to accommodate and appreciate the pleasure of life. On the other hand the same senses enable us to confront the hostile environment. Safety and comfort are the two most essential elements in our living condition.

Until very recently design profession mostly depended on formal functional elements which are being verified through quantitative parameters. In most cases design explores various formal elements and principles that are related to functional elements such as- form, shape, size, texture, color, line, etc. All these elements are part of design’s formal structure. However, in most cases the non-functional elements remain untouched or unaddressed since it is a complex area that cannot be quantified by one single parameter or a methodology. In the recent years the non-functional elements are being experimented in design.

Non-functional elements deal with human emotions that evoke a sense of affection and attachment. Every living being in varying degrees has the sense of such emotion.

At this stage it is necessary to have a brief introduce to the role of cognition, affect and emotion in decision making. In the field of design emotion has direct or indirect relationship. Donald Norman the renowned scholar has contributed significantly in the area of emotion and design. Norman’s theory of attractiveness in design relates to human emotion. Also briefing the theory framed by Donald Norman about the three levels of brain processing in his book ‘Emotional Design’.

All living beings have mechanism of emotion which guides them all the time. Such mechanism tries to create favourable situations for survival. On the other hand under unfavourable conditions mechanism for survival helps to warn or create conditions to confront the negative situation. These features directly or indirectly related to human work ‘efficiency and safety’. In the process of understanding the emotion and its relationship with product design cognition plays significant role.