Emotional Design

Jim FoleyFebruary 2012

Problem!

• What don’t guidelines, styleguides, patterns address?

• ???????

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What is nor Addressed?

• Beyond features and ease of use….• Useful + Usable ≠ Desirable• Making a UI fun, attractive, enjoyable,

desirable, hip• Making users want to use a UI if use is

discretionary• The overall user experience

Which is in part (maybe in whole) an emotional experience as much as a rational experience

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Compelling User Experiences

• How know one when see one?• What are some means to that end?

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Compelling User Experiences

• Beyond usability to psychology of rewards, of “feel good” Challenges / competition Achieve status

– Google news badges– Samsung…

Recognizeachievements

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From Anderson, Seductive Interaction Design

Taking off from Maslow

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From Anderson, Seductive Interaction Design

Simple (positive) Example

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Playful!!

Fun!!

Pleasurable!!

Simple (Negative) Example

• Conveying success in red

• More joyful ways to do it?

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From Anderson, Seductive Interaction Design

Exclusivity Snobbery

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Another kind of emotion …..

Establishing Trust

• Appearance Bank buildings

• Extra security measures In some sense, the analog of old-style

banks with their heavy stone walls, bars on windows

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Utilitarian vs. Attractive

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Utilitarian vs. Attractive

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Questions

• Why is Facebook more fun than email?

• Why is twitter so popular?• How is status conveyed in various

social media? In multiplayer games?• What is the power of customization?

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Feathers iPhone Twitter App is Fun!

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http://feathersapp.com/

Why Did Clippit Fail?

• Microsoft circa 1998-2004• Pops up when thinks it

knows what you are doing

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Linkedin – Updating Profile

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Updates to list are animated

Circling Back to the Psychology

Typology of Cognitive Pleasures (in no particular order)

1. Discovery - User experience as exploration of new territory2. Challenge - User experience as obstacles to overcome, goals lying just beyond current

skill and knowledge levels3. Narrative - User experience as story arc (user on hero's journey) and character

identification4. Self-expression - User experience as self-discovery and creativity5. Social framework - User experience as an opportunity for interaction/fellowship with

others6. Cognitive Arousal - User experience as brain teaser7. Thrill - User experience as risk-taking with a safety net 8. Sensation - User experience as sensory stimulation9. Triumph - User experience as opportunity to kick ass10. Flow - User experience as opportunity for complete concentration, extreme focus, lack

of self-awareness 11. Accomplishment - User experience as opportunity for productivity and success12. Fantasy - User experience as alternate reality13. Learning - User experience as opportunity for growth and improvement

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Kathy Sierra’s Creating Passionate Users blog http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2006/04/cogniti

ve_seduc.html

Are there others – is this a complete taxonomy?

To Learn More

• Google “emotional user interfaces” “affective user interfaces”

• Books, blogs, papers