Make your users feel, not think
When using a new app, browsing trough a website, or even using the latest Enterprise Software, as a user you want the experience to feel seamless, enjoyable, and as easy as it can be. By integrating what the user may feel from the first wireframe and component design, we make sure that we can achieve the best and most positive experience that a product can offer. This is where emotional design comes in.
So… what is it?
In formal terms, it´s the use of design elements and techniques to elicit specific emotions in users. By understanding and incorporating this method into their work, designers can create products that are not only functional and user-friendly, but also emotionally engaging (the stuff dreams are made off!)
How do you do it?
1 — Choose the color that fits what you want your users to feel
Color is a powerful tool that can evoke a wide range of emotions in users. By carefully selecting the colors used in a design, designers can create a specific emotional tone that sets the stage for the entire user experience.
Some basic examples of color associations are:
· Red — excitement, energy, and passion.
· Blue — calm, trust, and security.
· Yellow — happiness, optimism, and caution.
· Green — growth, health, and harmony.
· Purple- luxury, mystery, and creativity.
· Orange — warmth, enthusiasm, and fun.
· Black — with power, elegance, and sophistication.
· White — purity, innocence, and simplicity
2 — Use Typography that reflects how you want to speak to your user
The font used in a design can have a big impact on the overall emotional tone. For example, serif fonts are often associated with traditional, formal, and serious designs, while sans-serif fonts are often associated with modern, clean, and informal designs. The right font can create a sense of trust, professionalism, and reliability, or playful, informal and creative atmosphere — just make sure you benchmark a wide range of them to make sure you fit the right emotion to your wording and tone.
3 — Your layout should match your sense of structure
The way that elements are arranged on a page can affect the way that users perceive and interact with a design. For example, a symmetrical layout can create a sense of balance and stability, while an asymmetrical layout can create a sense of tension and movement.
By carefully considering the layout and organization of a design, designers can create a sense of hierarchy, emphasis and visual interest that guides the user through the experience. Just make sure you don´t use a too rigid structure along the way if your brand is playful, or vice versa. And always make it clean — no user wants to think, remember. Simpler layouts mean less decisions, less decisions mean less thinking process and less thinking process adds to ease of use.
4 — Remember: a picture/icon is worth more than 1.000 words
Images and icons are often used to convey a message or idea, and they can have a big impact on the overall emotional tone of a design. For example, images of people can create a sense of warmth and connection, while images of abstract shapes or patterns can create a sense of mystery or intrigue. Inclusivity is extremely important here — make sure you reflect your users in your product, it´s the only way that you can make an effective emotional connection with them, so that they can feel that the product is their own. Make sure they know it was design for them.
Animation and interaction can also be great, helping create a sense of movement and life in a design, and they can also be used to guide users through the experience. They can be used to reveal new information or to provide feedback, while interactions can be used to encourage users to explore and discover new features.
There are many things you can do to make your design more emotional, but just make sure to always remember the goal: make a great product that makes users feel, not think, that you build it for them.
