Neurodesign: a step-by-step guide to weaving emotions into your designs
This is part 3 of my series on Neurodesign. I recommend starting here.
When I first stepped into the London Apple store with my grandmother, there was an unmistakable aura that enveloped me. It wasn’t just the minimalist teak tables or the sleek macbooks that caught my eye — it was something in the air.
Was I imagining it?
Turns out, I wasn’t.
Apple stores are a meticulous orchestration of stimuli. Subtly scented — engineered to make you feel at ease. Innovative. Part of something futuristic. Apple, like many iconic brands, understands the profound impact of evoking the right emotions. It’s a sensory experience crafted to elicit emotions and deepen your connection to the brand.
Design is the rendering of intent. — Jared Spool
Every store, every product, every experience can intentionally evoke specific emotions. Part of your job is to define the emotional layer you want to weave into your users’ experiences.
This guide is here to help you.
Step 1: Study the emotional wheel
The emotional wheel is a visual tool that outlines a spectrum of human emotions, ranging from basic feelings to more complex states. It will help you define and pinpoint the specific emotions you want to evoke.
Breaking it down
- Research: Start with a high-quality emotional wheel diagram. Look for one that breaks down emotions from basic (happy, sad) to more specific (optimistic, nostalgic).
- Analyze: Study each segment to understand the breadth of emotions and their nuances.
- Select: Identify and label which primary emotions align with your product’s goals. Consider the overall feeling you want evoke when users interact with your product. The more specific the better.
Why it matters
Grasping the full range of emotions helps you make intentional decisions about the emotional journey you want to create.
Step 2: Identify relevant emotions
Different products across industries need a unique approach. Consider what key emotions you want to evoke. For example:
- Personal Banking App: Safety, Trust.
- Fitness App: Motivation, Triumph.
- Educational App: Curiosity, Fulfilment.
Breaking it down
- List industry emotions: Just as in the examples above, write down common emotional responses associated with your industry.
- Contextualize: Relate these emotions to your product’s context and the experience you aim to create. Ask yourself: “Why do I want a user to feel [emotion]?”
- Prioritize: Choose the most relevant emotions that align with your product’s purpose and the users’ expectations.
Why it matters
Aligning your product with specific emotional expectations will set the right tone for your design explorations.
Step 3: Define your product’s emotional map
Map out the desired emotional response for each key feature or interaction point in your product. This is also called the emotional journey. There are countless guides on how to create one of these and figma has a template.
Breaking it down
- List touch points: Focus on a max of 6 key features or touch points.
- Assign emotions: For each moment, assign an emotion from the emotional wheel that you want to evoke. Be as specific as possible.
- Integration plan: Sketch a brief plan on how each feature will evoke the assigned emotion (e.g., through copy, visuals, user flow).
Why it matters
Defining emotional objectives at every step of the journey ensures your product contributes to the overall journey, making experiences more cohesive and impactful.
Step 4: Integrate emotions into design elements
Translate your emotional objectives into design elements. I won’t speak to colors, typography and imagery as those are obvious.
Scientific papers have shown the profound impact of multi-sensory stimulation in evoking deep emotions. Think about ways to engage the senses beyond conventional visuals.
Breaking it down
- Elevate with haptics: Integrate haptic feedback to transform user interactions into tactile moments. Experiment with varying haptic feedback intensities to match different actions within your app. For example subtle vibrations can mimic the sensation of pressing a real button, enhancing the sense of touch.
- Utilize sound: Add unique auditory cues. A simple, soothing chime might reinforce a sense of achievement or calm, making your product more immersive and emotionally resonant. Ask yourself: is it meant to alert, reassure, or delight? Tailor your soundscape accordingly.
- Micro-interactions: Design subtle interactions that reinforce the emotional tone, like rewarding animations for task completion.
- Think outside the box: Consider how to engage other senses, even in a digital realm. This might include visualizing scents in a wellness app to evoke relaxation, or suggesting temperature through visual cues for warmth or coolness. Research in color psychology shows that colors can evoke sensations of temperature.
Why it matters
Thoughtfully chosen design elements that stimulate multiple senses can subtly yet powerfully evoke the desired emotional responses. Make people feel connected to what you’ve made for them.
Step 5: Test and iterate
It’s only at this stage you’ll know if you got it right. Gather user feedback on the emotional impact of your design. Compare people’s experience to your defined emotions and start to refine and enhance emotional resonance.
Breaking it down
- User feedback sessions: Conduct user testing sessions focusing on emotional responses to various moments. Bring warm bagels.
- Surveys: Implement tools to gather quantitative data on users’ emotional reactions. Don’t be dull, make these fun!
- Iterate: Use the insights gathered to refine and adjust your design, aiming for an authentic emotional connection.
Why it matters
Testing and iterating based on user feedback make sure it clicks in the way you intended. This is especially important accross different countries and cultures, where people will respond differently.
Final Thoughts
I‘ve always found it’s a blend of intuition and validation that can elevate your designs from functional to emotionally resonant.
Remember: By pinpointing the emotions your product should evoke, each design element can become a deliberate step towards that emotional goal.
Clearly articulating the ‘why’ behind your designs makes you a sharper designer and a persuasive advocate. Every decision can connect back to the desired user emotion. Having clarity on these emotions transforms your design narrative, allowing you to argue like this:
“We really don’t have the resources to add superfluous details right now”
“I understand you feel it’s not a priority, but confetti isn’t just fun— it’s a strategic choice to foster fulfilment and motivation, enhancing user engagement and retention.”
“You’re right. Let’s find a way to get it in.”
Boom.
Cheers for reading!
If you liked this, you’ll love part 2:
Next up I’ll be covering The future of Neurodesign
Credit: some screenshots are from Mobbin’ — where top designers go for inspiration.
