Design isn't just about the look and feel...
It's about evoking emotions, understanding drivers, and designing with an evidence-based approach.
In his Book Emotional Design - Don Norman from Nielsen Norman Group explores the idea that design should go beyond mere usability and functionality to create products that evoke positive emotions in users.
This is not a book that gets mentioned much, but I have found it to be fantastic and it has some really great ideas
Here are some of the points from the book
Go beyond mere functionality
Design should evoke positive emotions.
There are three layers Norman looks at:
-Visceral: This pertains to the immediate emotional impact a product has on a user, often based on its appearance, touch, and sound. It's about the initial impression and how it makes someone feel
Your objective here
Create a lasting first impression
-Behavioral: This focuses on the use of the product: its performance, function, and usability. It's about how well the product works in practice and the overall experience of using it
Your objective here
Seamless use and joyful interaction
-Reflective: This encompasses the personal and cultural significance of a product, as well as the memories and reflections it evokes. It's about the stories we tell ourselves about the product, how we remember it, and its meaning in our lives
Your objective here
A product that resonates on a personal level
All three layers are vital
Your overall goal? To create products that are not just used, but cherished.
Going beyond the book, how can behavioral science help us do this?
We need to have an approach to design that moves us to be systematic and evidence-based.
We need to be clear about what behaviors we want to enable in our products, we need to account for the context in which people are interacting with the product, people, and environment.
We need to start leveraging more frameworks and tools from psychology, sociology, and behavioral sciences - beyond just a list of biases in design.
Final Thoughts
By creating products that are visually appealing, easy to use, and meaningful to users, designers can create products that users truly love and enjoy using.
Have you read the book? - would love to know your thoughts