• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.2251-2270
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• 2015

More than 1 billion mobile apps (smartphone applications) have been released worldwide. Competition among developers of apps that are available in app stores has intensified because of increasing demand. App icons with an appealing design can instantly increase attention. Miryoku Engineering methods were used and combined with the Kansei interface model to examine the relationship between attractive icons and users. The evaluation grid method (EGM) is a qualitative method that was used to evaluate the icons, and Quantification Theory Type I is a quantitative method that was used to analyze the influence of design elements in icons. Eight attractive factors of app icons were determined using EGM, and six specific factors were identified using questionnaires. The quantitative results indicated that user cognition and emotion were influenced by the various design elements. The impact on the attractive factors of a single design element differed among users with diverse backgrounds. App icons were assessed on the basis of aesthetics to identify attractive factors and thereby assist designers in understanding and implementing design elements and improving the overall visual appeal of their apps. The result of this investigation is crucial to the presentation of app icons in online app stores.