2. Experience Design
Components to design an experience
Part of the series on the field of Experience Design
Finding the problem
The process of design thinking is to find the true problem to be solved by understanding people, framing the problem, generating ideas and finally testing them to “fit the needs and capabilities of people.”(Norman, 2002)
“Engineers and business people are trained to solve problems. Designers are trained to discover the real problems”-
Don Norman, The design of everyday things
This framework of diverging-converging is best represented visually by the double diamond, created by the design council (British Design Council, 2005.)
In theory, this framework can provide stimulus to innovative new ideas but in practice “the realities of the world impose severe constraints upon the design of products” (Norman, 2002) Time constraints, resources and lack of money are all contributing factors to alternative methods to understand human needs and business viability.
Alternative Methods
The double diamond is a framework but not the only way to find a problem. A method to compliment, not replace the design thinking process is using the Lean Startup methodology developed by Eric Ries. By taking the idea and product to the user as quick as possible can “clarify at a basic, course level that we understand our potential customer and what problems they have” (Ries, 2011)
Designing for needs
As stated by Don Norman in his book The Design of Everyday Things, (2002) “Good designers never start by trying to solve the problem given to them: they start by trying to understand what the real issues are.” These issues can be acquired through research, prototyping and testing new ideas.
Designing experiences has to involve interactions with humans, either through computers, physical products or with other humans. Understanding what humans need and how they act is the underlying concept behind human centred design, the process “accomplishes the desired tasks, and that the experience of use is positive and enjoyable.” (Norman, 2002)
An alternative suggestion to designing for users is designing for the activity. Don Norman’s’ (2002) activity-centered design process puts focus on the activity performed rather than the user.
For example, short lived messaging system Snapchat’s main activity explained by Ellis Hamburger (Krishna, 2015) “forces both users to be present inside a chat window before video can begin” reducing interruptions from traditional video chat methods such as Facetime and Skype. Snapchat is no longer based on human needs for communication but the activity of uninterrupted seamless communication.
Designing for the activity is applied best when designing for products and services for the larger population when needs affect people regardless of age, culture and geography.
Beyond Physical Needs
Creating products using HCD (Human Centered Design) alone will not create engaging experiences. Interactions have to touch upon the physical, practical, emotional and cognitive behaviours when designing for humans. This is the basis to designing the entire experience described by van der Veer and Vyas (2005) in their paper APEC: A Framework for Designing Experience.
Computers although void of feelings, can induce feelings of delight, frustration and anxiety in humans. The delight in hearing the ping from a text message or the anxiety felt from a lack of a response.
An example of a technological emotional hijack is the anxiety felt when communicating on messenger apps. The small circles called “typing awareness indicator” give visual cues that the user is expecting a message. When that message never arrives the user can feel emotional disappointment and deflation referred to Bennett as “text-bubble anxiety”.
“The three dots shown while someone is drafting a message in iMessage is quite possibly the most important source of eternal hope and ultimate letdown in our daily lives,”- Maryam Abolfazli
Coming to terms with the increasing connection humans have with technology an experience designer has the ability to “interpret the relationship between people and technology in terms of the felt life and the felt or emotional quality of action and interaction.” (McCarthy and Wright, 2004)
In our present and future “We don’t just use or admire technology; we live with it” (McCarthy and Wright, 2004) Understanding the emotional and cognitive relationship between human and computer can help reduce these feelings of anxiety and disappointment. This will be more important as we start to move away from the mobile revolution and enter the ubiquitous revolution. A future where sensors will dominate human-computer interactions. Although the physical interaction might be invisible, the emotional cannot be ignored.
Storytelling
Stories are a powerful tool to convey and understand how humans behave by gathering information, promoting empathy, inspiring and most importantly share the purpose with other. (Quesenbery and Brooks, 2010)
“Scenarios are stories. They are stories about people and their activities.” (Carroll, 2000)
Scenario-based design defined by Carroll (2000) is a complimentary design process to HCD. The technique in context to software design puts focus on the user’s work and process by simplifying the needs without writing technical specifications.
This is accomplished by describing “the goals, behaviours, and experience of the people using the system” (Quesenbery and Brooks, 2010)
Next: 3. Experience Creation
