emotional strategy for balanced ux design

Emotional Strategy forBalanced UX DesignMike DonahueUX Architect - CitrixFebruary 2014

@mdonahue37 | LinkedIn

(Logic & Language)

(Senses & Emotion)

Emotion only driven decisions often result in feelings of regret.

Logic only driven decisions often result in lack of connection.

Emotions

InevitableMore PowerfulHappen FasterHappen FirstLast Longer

{

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what

you did, but people will never forget how you made

them feel.”Maya Angelou

What is your strategy for targeting emotions?

Would you take off without a flight plan or compass?

The 4 Stages of Accomplishing GoalsHow we experience everything.

Every experience begins with a goal to be accomplished.

goal:the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.

Gordon RamseyGordon Ramsey

Stage 1: AwarenessThe moment we become aware of a goal to be accomplished.

Stage 2: AssessmentEvaluate everything associated to accomplishing a goal.

Stage 3: ActionThe physical activities takento accomplish a goal.

Stage 4: AssociationDefine what accomplishing the goal means to us – our experience.

GordonGordonRamseyRamsey’’ss

Stage 1: AwarenessOur experience begins the moment we become aware.

The moment we become aware logical and emotional expectations are set.

UX Responsibility

Manage users expectations and emotions at the moment of awareness.

Our expectations are NOT always right.

Our expectations are NOT always based in reality.

UX Responsibility

Start with how you want the user to feel at the end.

Make emotions the target of UX.

1: Awareness 3: Action 4: Association

2: Assessment

Emotional Response Wave

?

?risk reward

UX Responsibility

Set honest and appropriate expectations for users at every possible touch point.

Stage 2: AssessmentWe always assess risks before rewards.

It’s about self-preservation

People will do more to avoid pain than they will do to gain pleasure.

1: Awareness 3: Action 4: Association

2: Assessment

Emotional Response Wave

Pain!

Pain!Pai

n!

CoreSimplicityFactorsFogg Behavioral Model

TimeMoneyPhysical EffortBrain CyclesSocial DevianceNon-Routine

{

1: Awareness 3: Action 4: Association

2: Assessment

Emotional Response Wave

Simple goal - drive thru burger

Complex goal - Hell’s Kitchen

Watch video on YouTube

What Apple was up against:• Already saturated market• Expensive compare to competition• “Cult of Apple” Reputation

What they did so well:• Implied simplicity• Emotional charged• Authentically Apple

1: Awareness 3: Action 4: Association

2: Assessment

Emotional Response Wave

Less pain!

Adjusted expectation.

UX Responsibility

Take control of the emotional wave to drive user behavior.

authenticity:concerns the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions; genuine.

Authenticity Creates Trust.

“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a

deep sense of insecurity.”Dalai Lama

UX Responsibility

Define who we (our clients/product/site) are and what we stand for, and then craft experiences that reflect those values.

If your site were a person what would they be like?Design personas can help.

Stage 3: ActionActions are more about will than skill.

“The essential difference between emotion and reason

is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to

conclusions.”Dr. Donald Calne

CoreMotivationFactorsFogg Behavioral Model

Pain/PleasureFear/HopeRejection/Acceptance

{

Simple Solution:

Scare users into action. Right?

One man’s pain is another man’s pleasure.

Red Bull: World Record Skydive

Some people love gardening.Some people love gardening.

Some people, not so much.Some people, not so much.

UX Responsibility

Know the users real pain point.

Stage 4: AssociationThe users process of evaluating and valuing the overall experience.

( assessment + action )expectation =

experience

The experience equation

Desire Draws Our Focus to the Positive or Negative

need vs. want

need or want?need or want?

need based experience:No imperfection is too small to ruin the entire experience.

want based experience:Users are more willing to overlook imperfections, even large ones.

UX Responsibility

Know whether we are designing

to serve a users need (required)

or want (desire).

Pulling it all together.How do we use emotions as strategic targets when designing for each of the 4 stages?

Evaluate & Validate:Will this {experience} significantly enhance the users state and have I made as simple as possible to attain?

1. How do I want the user to feel when they have accomplished their goal?

2. What can I do so they feel that way when they are taking action to accomplish their goal?

3. What can I do so they feel that way when they are assessing the goal to be accomplished?

4. How do I set the appropriate expectation of feeling when they become aware of the goal?

Association

Action

Assessment

Awareness

Reverse Engineer the User Experience

LogicLogic

Logic AND EmotionsLogic AND Emotions

“When you design for meaning, good things will

happen.”Doug Dietz,

Principal Designer for GE Healthcare

ResourcesBooksDesigning for Emotions, Aarron Walter

Start with the WHY, Simon Sinek

VideosTEDx: Transforming healthcare for children and their families, Doug Dietz

Start with the WHY, Simon Sinek