Are those who use a Moleskin more successful, richer and more creative? Maybe a weird question. Logic tells you “of course not!”, writing in an expensive notebook should not differ from writing in one that you bought for a pound. But think with me for a moment, to be able to buy a Moleskin you need to be mentally and financially capable, so it’s quite likely that you are successful enough to allow such expenses and mentally ready to be seduced by style (or quality as they say)
Another question, are the owners of an Austin Martin more successful, richer and more powerful than those who drive to work in a Vauxhall? I bet you’d agree with me on all the three questions. Allow me to take you to another question: what came first, the Moleskin or the success? Maybe you need some success to buy your first Moleskin, but what about the second, and the third. Would you rip pages out it (like you do with that one you got for free), would you write down your shopping list, would you loose it somewhere on the way? Or would you follow the lead that the Moleskin sets and focus more on quality and tread your ideas and behaviour with more respect?
Experience design is designing in such way that it influences behaviour, thoughts and believes.
Where have we heard those words before? In the very fine art of marketing. In the field of web-applications design we should follow the path set up by many designers before us and make products that are not only useful, (or usable) but are also a pleasure to use. From the first click on the link to your site to the very last check-box on the last tab, it’s not only the usability, the amount of features, the personalisation options or the amount of free web-space that counts, but the quality of the experience
And it’s the quality of the experience that adds the most value to your proposition and your business. Does Coca-Cola work better against hydration than tab-water, is a Jaguar more useful to bring you from A to B than a Vauxhall, does a Suit from Savile Row keep your warmer than a trainings-suit from Primark? Of-course not, in the first world people pay a premium for a better experience. And who can blame them, for don’t you deserve the best experience?
This is a great post. One thing I would add is not to rule out the influence of emotion vs practical need/purpose. I’m a real life example of the Aston Martin vs Vauxhall analogy. Unfortunately, I’m the one who drives the Vauxhall compared to a friend who drives the Aston Martin!
Despite my emotional desire for an Aston Martin, the purpose of my car is very different to that of my friend. Without cost being an issue, I wouldn’t be able to justify the purchase of an Aston Martin as it doesn’t fit my need as I require a practical, sustainable, family car that can carry anything/everyone and won’t be ruined by the children as they eat a snack or create a mess in the back seat. This purpose outweighs the better experience I may receive from an Aston. However, the predicament comes if Aston Martin released a car that met my needs with a better experience than my Vauxhall – what would happen then?! This is when persuasion is key to design.
As mentioned with UX design, it’s about the “quality of the experience.” However it is important that the quality of experience does not neglect the fundamental need of purpose; as without that, the best design in the world is useless.
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