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Emotions play a crucial role in our human experience. We encounter an array of feelings in our daily lives, like joy when gifted by someone close to us, disappointment when we fall short of our expectations, exhilaration when our favorite team reaches a championship game, and more. Similarly, users’ emotional journey is triggered when they engage with a product, be it a digital or physical one.

The design of a product can either enhance or detract from the emotions it evokes in users. When a product is designed with emotions in mind, it has the power to create a deeper connection and loyalty with its users. This is why emotional design is an essential aspect of product design and why it is crucial to understand the emotional impact a product has on its users.

“Emotions, we now know, change the way the human mind solves problems — the emotional system changes how the cognitive system operates. So, if aesthetics would change our emotional state, that would explain the mystery.”
― Donald A. Norman, Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things

What is Emotional Design?

Emotional Design refers to creating products that elicit emotional responses from users. The objective is to evoke emotions that are in line with the product and brand, with the aim of enhancing the overall user experience and establishing a deeper connection with the user. Emotional responses can vary from person to person, but the idea behind Emotional Design is to generate emotions that are positive or at least neutral, leading to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and recognition of the brand.

Emotional Design aims to evoke positive emotions in users, making their interaction with a product enjoyable and resulting in a positive user experience. To achieve this, it’s important to understand the needs and wants of the users and design accordingly. While usability is a crucial aspect of design, even if it’s lacking in certain areas, generating positive emotional responses can still make a product appealing to users. For example, e-commerce platforms with less-than-ideal usability can still attract customers by offering discounts and deals. Another technique, gamification, can also create positive emotional responses despite poor usability. By understanding the emotional impact of design and incorporating positive emotions, Emotional Design has the potential to create a more enjoyable and memorable user experience.

Negative emotions, such as frustration, disappointment, or anger, can arise when a product fails to meet our requirements. However, these emotions are not always a bad thing. In fact, they can play a positive role in shaping the user experience, acting as a motivator to drive improvement and satisfaction. An example of this concept in action is the experience of playing a challenging video game. The player may encounter levels or obstacles that induce feelings of frustration, but these negative emotions drive them to continue playing and trying different strategies until they finally overcome the challenge. This sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, which was achieved through overcoming the initial frustration, enhances the overall positive experience of the game.

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Don Norman’s three levels of design:

Don Norman, often referred to as the father of UX, mentioned three types of cognitive responses, users have when they interact with a product.

Visceral:

A user’s instant or immediate response to your design.

For e.g: I never used Airbnb but whenever I visit their platform, their clean interface always gives a feeling of delight.

Airbnb: Mobile and Web Interface

Behavioural:

Users subconsciously evaluate how your design helps them to achieve their goals. Essentially, when users are engaged with a platform, their emotions and perceptions towards the navigation and product interactions play a crucial role in determining their behavioral response. In simpler terms, the user experience influences the user’s actions and decisions.

For e.g:

• Trying photo filters but making it easy to undo if I don’t like the result
• Back buttons making it easy to get back where I started
• Saving history
• Undo buttons for documents

Reflective:

The judgment that users form after extensive use of a product will have a significant impact on their decision to continue using it or leave it. This judgment takes into account various factors such as the product’s usability, emotional appeal, value for money, and more.

Tips to create this Emotional Impact:

There is no guaranteed way to create a positive emotional response, but following these tips can help increase the chances of a successful outcome:

1. Focus on the user’s needs: Understanding the user’s needs and goals is essential for creating an emotional connection with them. Design your product with their needs in mind, and make sure it is intuitive and easy to use.
2. Use color and typography wisely: Color and typography play a significant role in creating an emotional response. Choose colors and font styles that reflect the emotional tone you want to convey and ensure they are consistent throughout your product.
3. Pay attention to micro-interactions: Micro-interactions are small interactions within a product that can have a big emotional impact. For example, a well-designed animation for a loading screen can make the wait feel less tedious.
4. Personalization: Personalizing the user experience can create an emotional connection with the user. Consider how you can use data to personalize the user’s experience, such as by recommending products or content that they are likely to enjoy.
5. Use gamification: Gamification elements, such as rewards, badges, and leaderboards, can create an emotional connection with users by tapping into their competitive nature.
6. Design for accessibility: Designing for accessibility can create an emotional connection with users by making the product accessible to a wider audience. Consider how you can make your product usable for people with disabilities, such as through the use of alternative input methods or screen readers.
7. Create a consistent experience: Consistency in design and experience can create a sense of familiarity and comfort for users. Ensure that your product has a consistent look and feel, with elements such as buttons and icons appearing in the same place throughout the product.
8. Focus on the story: A compelling story can create an emotional connection with your users. Consider how you can incorporate a story into your product design, whether it’s through the user’s journey, the product’s history, or the brand’s values.

In conclusion, emotions play a significant role in shaping the user experience and determining their behaviour towards a product. By incorporating elements such as color, typography, sensory elements, and personalization, designers can create an emotional connection with users and enhance their overall experience. The key to success is to focus on the user’s needs and design with their emotions in mind. With the right approach, designers can create products that not only meet the user’s functional needs but also evoke positive emotions and create a lasting impact.

Thanks for reading!