Value creation is composed of experience value and functional value. Experience value is subjective and will likely differ with each customer. However, creating experience value is necessary and important because the market requires manufacturing companies to regularly develop products. In this research, I take as an example the development process of a massage chair, and discuss how the experience value of a product is interpreted by developers and commercialized. Massage, which is a function of the product, may result in experience values such as “stress care” and “healing”. Findings from interviews indicate that, to provide comfort and relaxation for massage chair users, a sense of “momi-aji” should be realized in the product. Momi-aji is the overall sense of comfort, not only from the massage itself but also including the appropriate degree of firmness in the sofa, the angle of reclining, and another functions. The momi-aji of each company’s product is mainly realized by the automatic massage course, and the automatic course is considered to be the product’s greatest value. To create a more comfortable and relaxing momi-aji, a fusion of hardware and software is important. All massage chair companies aim to develop products with which all customers feel comfortable. To develop a product that provides this momi-aji to all users, a relationship between the testers and the designers is required. It is considered that, if the value of the product is unclear, designers may tend to design excessively. It is a role of the testers to control excessiveness, to improve the consistency between the value temporarily assumed in the development stage and the values demanded by the market. Experience values, such as momi-aji, become established through evaluation in the market. From such a point, the value during the pre-release process is considered not established, and development is based on values assumed by the designers and testers. Conversion of experience values to functional values is realized by repeated evaluation and adjustment of the values. At that time, the testers need to match the characteristics of the customers of the product target.
