Emotional Design (ED)

Emotional design is the concept of how to create designs that evoke emotions which result in positive user experiences. Designers aim to reach users on three cognitive levels—visceral, behavioral and reflective—so users develop positive associations (sometimes including negative emotions) with products, brands, etc.

“Everything has a personality: everything sends an emotional signal. Even where this was not the intention of the designer, the people who view the website infer personalities and experience emotions.”

— Don Norman, UX Design Pioneer

In this video, Professor Alan Dix explains why considering emotions is vital when you design experiences.

How Emotional Design Anticipates and Accommodates Users’ Needs and Responses

Designers should focus on users’ needs in their interactions with products or services. The functionality of a design should help users achieve their goals as efficiently and effectively as possible. However, a designer must also be keenly aware of their user’s responses—which are naturally emotional. As rational as people may like to think they are, emotions are at the heart of how humans interpret reality. Positive experiences drive curiosity. They help motivate us to grow as individuals. Negative experiences help us prevent repeated mistakes. However, these not-so-positive experiences can sometimes be fun—consider the chilling thrills of horror movies. Likewise, users associate feelings with what they encounter. They also have tempers; some get frustrated faster than others. The fact is that the emotional design of a product or service affects its success—and thus the bottom line. Whether or not they realize it, users have sophisticated thought processes going on most of the time. So, you must address three levels of cognitive responses when you design:

1. Visceral: Users’ gut reactions to or their first impressions of a design; e.g., an uncluttered user interface suggests ease of use.

2. Behavioral: Users subconsciously evaluate how a design helps them achieve goals and how easily. They should feel satisfied that they’re in control, with minimum effort required.

3. Reflective: After they encounter your design, users will consciously judge its performance and benefits, including value for money. If they’re happy, they’ll keep using it, form emotional bonds with it and tell their friends.

How Does Emotional Design Affect User Experience

Emotional design can significantly impact user experience (UX) in several ways, here’s how:  

1. Create a Connection: Products designed with emotional appeal can create a deeper bond between the user and the product. When users feel an emotional connection, they are more likely to have a positive experience and develop loyalty to the brand or product.

   Apple products, such as the iPhone, are a prime example of how brands can create emotional connections with their users. The sleek design, intuitive interface, and the status symbol associated with Apple products create a deep emotional bond. Many Apple users are not just loyal; they are passionate advocates of the brand.

2. Usability and Satisfaction: A product that evokes positive emotions is often perceived as easier to use. Emotional design can make users more forgiving of minor usability issues and can increase overall satisfaction with the product.

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   Google's search engine exemplifies this. Its simple and clean interface, coupled with fast and relevant results, creates a positive user experience. Even if users encounter occasional irrelevant results, the overall efficiency and user-friendly design keep satisfaction high.

3. Memorability: Emotional experiences are more likely to be remembered than neutral ones. If a product can evoke a strong positive emotional response, users are more likely to recall and return to it.

   The classic Coca-Cola bottle design has a unique, recognizable shape that evokes nostalgia and makes it memorable. Even in a market flooded with soft drinks, the Coca-Cola bottle stands out and is instantly identifiable, often associated with positive emotions and memories.

1. Differentiation: In a crowded market, emotional design can help a product stand out. By appealing to users’ emotions, designers can differentiate their products from competitors’ offerings.

   Dyson vacuum cleaners turn a mundane task into a more satisfying experience. With their innovative design, which showcases the technology inside, and the ease of use, they differentiate themselves with emotional design. They’re not just functionally different but also emotionally appealing. 

2. Motivation and Engagement: Emotional design can motivate users to engage more deeply with a product. For example, a game that evokes excitement and joy can keep players coming back, while a well-designed educational app can make learning more enjoyable and engaging.

   Video games like The Legend of Zelda demonstrate how emotional design in games increases engagement. They are designed to evoke excitement and joy with their engaging storylines, immersive worlds, and rewarding gameplay motivate players to continue exploring and returning to the game. 

3. User Well-being: Thoughtful emotional design can contribute to the user's well-being. Products that are designed to be calming, reassuring, or joyful can have a positive impact on the user's mental state.

   The Headspace app is designed to promote mental well-being. Its friendly animations, soothing color palette, and easy-to-follow guided meditations create a calming experience. The app's design helps reduce stress and anxiety, which positively impacts users' mental health.

4. Brand Perception: The emotions evoked by a product can reflect on the brand as a whole. A product that makes users feel valued and happy can improve the overall perception of the brand.

   The branding and product design of TOMS Shoes, which includes a promise to help a person in need for every product purchased, creates a powerful emotional response. This strategy makes consumers feel they are contributing to a good cause, which improves their perception of the brand and fosters a sense of community and goodwill.

How to Apply Emotional Design

To apply emotional design, a designer first needs a good functional design to work with. A deep understanding of users ( gained through UX research) is essential. Here are some ways to apply emotional design:

1. Inject a signature personality: A face/mascot for users to identify with that suits a brand/organization/industry (e.g., MailChimp’s Monkey, Freddie).

2. Engage users as a character. Include personal touches in all tasks, to reinforce the illusion of a personable helper who knows users like an old friend.

3. Use color/contrast advantageously (e.g., blue for banking = trustworthiness).

4. Craft copy with the right tone to inspire or accommodate emotions. Write appropriate terms/phrases (e.g., Slack’s “You’re here! The day just got better.” greeting). Use fonts and styles that suit the desired image.

5. Customize microcopy (labels, etc.) users can relate to which matches your other copy’s voice/tone.

6. Apply video/sound to carry messages “in character” (like in the above).

7. Personalize the experience for different users. (E.g., show users what else they might like, based on their information.)

8. Offer prizes and surprises (e.g., let users check how many likes they have and find new log-in background images). Consider including Easter eggs.

9. Use storytelling.

10. Maintain attention to detail, especially on error messages. Include polite, light-hearted/humorous messages to alleviate users’ frustration whenever problems arise (e.g., downtime). Consider treats to compensate for inconveniences—e.g., chances to win account upgrades.

On the Interaction Design Foundation’s 404 error page, we use light-hearted language to try to alleviate frustration—and a small treat in the form of an article on great 404 pages.

Above all, to creative positive emotional engagement, you must have a friendly presence in your design—to show users you know them. Reinforce this with happy customer testimonials and pictures of your office/team. Your design should look different from competitors’. It should also feel different, as a reliable, pleasurable part of users’ lives. Attractive designs that accommodate users’needs and feelings give the impression they work better, too. Whatever the emotions your design conjures in users, these feelings will affect the bottom line. Even a minor oversight can trigger the wrong impression overall.

Learn More about Emotional Design

Take our Emotional Design course.

Read Smashing Magazine’s in-depth, example-filled piece on Emotional Design.

This blog is loaded with industry insights and examples.

For an insightful view of Emotional Design from the Grand Old Man of User Experience himself, Don Norman, read his book on the subject.