Josh Nelson
Sep 8, 2018 · 1 min read

Hey Steve,

This is a great article! Thanks for sharing. I think it’s important that you highlighted that value can actually be produced by Friction. It’s simply so easy to fall into the trap of creating experiences without friction, but we know from real life that truly memorable and meaningful value comes from points of interaction that simply aren’t streamlined.

There was a great article that I recall reading (simply cannot remember the exact specific) but it had to do with how Turbotax designed intentional delays into their system as a method of adding value to their customer's experience. They discovered that the immediacy of results while valuable to customers wasn’t nearly as satisfying as a slight delay that provided Turbotax with the opportunity to show them “working” for your benefit. People reported significantly higher satisfaction through the delay when they felt and saw Turbotax working on their behalf.

Your musing I believe to be similar in thought. Friction can provide value, it’s simply a matter of understanding when and where to apply it, and why.

Good stuff!

    Josh Nelson

    Written by

    Product Designer @ Facebook || Founder of the Project Cobalt.