BEYOND USABILITY: CRITICALLY EXAMINING USER-CENTERED WARDROBE DESIGN, INCLUSIVE ADAPTATION AND CONTEXTUAL OPTIMIZATION TRADE-OFFS

This systematic review comprehensively explores the multi-dimensional application mechanism, practical optimization effects and current research status of user-centered design (UCD) in residential wardrobe innovation. Guided by the PRISMA framework, this study adopts a rigorous systematic literature review methodology to ensure the standardization and transparency of the screening and synthesis process. Relevant literature covering wardrobe design, user-centered design, furniture usability and residential user experience was retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Following strict screening based on unified inclusion and exclusion criteria, 48 peer-reviewed academic studies were finally selected for thematic coding and systematic synthesis. A standardized coding matrix was developed to extract core variables, including UCD dimensional characteristics, wardrobe functional and experiential performance, user adaptive effects and scenario-based boundary conditions. This review clarifies that UCD improves wardrobe comprehensive performance through three hierarchical pathways: physiological ergonomic adaptation, precise functional demand matching, and multi-scenario experience upgrading. The optimization effects of UCD exhibit prominent dual heterogeneity across user groups and residential usage scenarios. Design iteration, intelligent technology embedding and spatial environmental characteristics serve as critical moderating factors affecting UCD design outcomes. This review systematically sorts out existing research contradictions (cost limitation vs. long-term value optimization) and theoretical gaps in dimensional differentiation and boundary mechanism research. The findings provide practical guidance on humanized, inclusive and scenario-adaptive wardrobe design; while enriching the practical application of human-factor engineering theory, user experience theory and inclusive design theory in residential furniture innovation.