When building transformative experiences for our users, we begin by identifying the emotion that motivates their engagement. We then imagine how we want them to feel when we have provided for their need. Finally, we are left to build something that we think can successfully transform the first into the second.
The only way to actually know if such a design works for a sufficient audience to support the product is to experiment and see, but there are some patterns of UX that can suggest things we might want to try. None of these is a product all on its own: we also have to actually address a need people have in a way that provides some substantive value. But since we can offer what we think of as value and still not have people walk away feeling better than when they walked in, this is a toolbox we can come back to to ensure that the actual value we provide is also giving people something they want.
There are many more of these possible: I look forward to hearing about the patterns you have discovered! If you are interested in reading more about the use of visuals and interaction in creating experiences, I highly recommend Understanding Comics and Reimagining Comics by Scott McCloud: they are an accessible entry point into the world of visual and interactive impact. The Design Of Everyday Things and Emotional Design, by Don Norman, are also great starting points, as well as Theater Of The Oppressed, by Augusto Boal and Impro by Keith Johnstone.
Driver’s Seat
Problem:
The user is feeling out of control and you want to make them feel in control.
Try:
Give them something they can literally control, with immediately visible effects. Emphasize the cause and effect of their action, literally handing them power. Sliders and radio buttons are great for this because they don’t involve a context switch the way a drop down or text input does.
Card Force
Problem:
The user is overwhelmed by choice, and you want them to be satisfied with their choice.
Try:
Make the choice easier. If you control the choices, don’t make them balanced trade offs: decide which one you want people to buy, and then boost all the other prices by 20%. Put the good deal in the center, highlighted in a different color. Think of a magician encouraging a certain card selection: people follow any clues they have, so make it easy.
Recommended For You
Problem:
The user is overwhelmed by choice, most of the choices are probably about as good, and you want them to be satisfied with their choice.
Try:
AI. It doesn’t have to be actual AI: a heuristic that selects one option and highlights it with personalized language often performs just as well. Language like “our recommendation for you” also makes people feel less disposable and inspires reciprocation: you went to all the trouble of choosing something just for them, after all. (Read Thinking Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman, for why people are more satisfied with decisions they put less thought and effort into.)
Enough Choice
Problem:
The user is overwhelmed by choice, there are a LOT of choices, and you want them to be satisfied with their choice.
Try:
Limit the number people are presented at once. If you have infinite scrolling, get rid of it: in commerce contexts I’ve seen that boost sales by between 10% and 30%. If you have pagination of 20, drop it to 10. Try side-by-side “A or B?” questions, like at the eye doctor. Test the swipe model, which is really just a pagination of 1. The goal is to take an overwhelming choice, “which of these infinite things will I pick?” and reduce it to a more manageable choice between a finite set of elements, prompting the user to actually choose.
One note: this works best if you can cache elements ahead of time and the product is performant, so when you haven’t presented the user a workable solution they can instantly see alternatives.
A Sea of Humanity
Problem:
The user is feeling disconnected or isolated, and you want them to feel content.
Try:
Infinite content. This is where feeling like the world is endless and there are no boundaries is reassuring: the user never has to decide to consume the next piece of content, it is just there. Infinite scrolling, swiping, and autoplay are all examples of this pattern.
Brash Pride
Problem:
The user is feeling shame, and you want them to feel pride.
Try:
A bright color, high contrast, crisp lines design where nothing is hidden. “Visibility” can be extremely literal.
Colored Pencils, Not Broken Crayons
Problem:
The user is feeling distrustful, and you want them to trust you.
Try:
Making a promise, no matter how small, and then fulfill it. “On the next page, we will say hello.” and then when they click “Next” it says “Hello! So happy to meet you!” You better have tests that automatically verify that the “Next” button works and the next page says “hello”, though, because if that ever doesn’t happen you are doomed. That risk is why this works: by stating up front what you are going to do, it means you could fail.
Small, Safe Steps
Problem:
The user is feeling discouraged or incompetent, and you want them to feel accomplished.
Try:
Split the task into small, simple steps, and put the easiest step first. This exercise may reveal that the task is ridiculously complex and no wonder the user is feeling discouraged, in which case you can take the nesting doll approach: split the task into smaller tasks, split each of those into small achievable steps. It is also useful to provide a consistent sense of achievement on the completion of each one: a left-ward animation between steps can be helpful there, since it conveys forward progress. Progress indicators are most helpful when a specific step is particularly challenging: if you can instead make each task easily accomplished you don’t have to remind people of the totality of the effort.