Design does not need to be delightful
“At each stage, you will anticipate what our users need, advocate for them, and ensure that the final product surprises and delights them”
“The ideal candidate is passionate about solving complex problems and creating experiences that delight customers worldwide.”
“Participate in customer research and apply insights to generate designs that deliver customer delight”
The quotes above are taken from actual job descriptions for designers at some of the country’s biggest tech companies.
Recently delight has been a main emphasis in design. It has become a buzzword that has saturated conversations on design. But while it’s nice to have a wow moment with products I find it problematic that this word is being placed at such a high value.
A designer’s job should be about making a product, feature, or service that improves how a person accomplishes a task. This might be done by making a task easier, faster, or more intuitive. It might be friendlier, less stressful, or more accessible. But it does not need to delight a customer. Design does not need to be flashy. Design does not even need to be noticed to be effective.
What is delightful design?
Before breaking down why delight should not be the main focus, let’s start with a definition of what delightful design is. I am using delightful design to mean an experience that is fun or pleasing as well as novel or unexpected. Delightful design brings about “wow” moments that make you stop and appreciate the design. By this definition, delightful design requires you to notice and be aware of the design itself.
Delightful design requires you to notice and be aware of the design itself
Some examples of delightful design:
The email marketing platform Mailchimp let’s you high five the company’s mascot when once your email is in the send queue.
The interface design tool Figma has an 404 error page that allows you to manipulate the shape of the 404.
This pasta ladle looks like the loch ness monster when submerged in a pot.
There is nothing wrong with the examples above.They are enjoyable, memorable, and build appreciation for their respective products. But these delightful experiences are not necessary for core functionality. In fact they don’t add to functionality at all but are more about adding moments of levity to an experience.
Delightful design also depends on both attention and surprise, which complicates when it can be used. Surprise has a finite lifespan as it fades as someone becomes familiar with the object or experience. The design must therefore be used sparingly or revised frequently. Design that demands attention is problematic when the user prefers to focus their attention on another task and therefore should only be used when the user does not require (or wish) their focus to be elsewhere.
The value of invisible design
Sometimes all you need is a product that works well. And when it works well the process is so smooth that you aren’t conscious of the design — sometimes you are hardly aware that you are using the product itself. As Don Norman said, “good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible.”
Good designs fit our needs so well that the design is invisible — Don Norman
A classic example of invisible design are push and pull doors, popularized by Don Norman. Many people have experienced a door that doesn’t open the direction you think it will, or requires some tricky finagling of the door handle. But when a door is designed well we can know how to push and pull without consciously thinking about it. The standard example of this is a flat panel on the push side and a handle on the pull side (as shown in the image above.) These are subtle signifiers, intentionally placed, to communicate the intended behavior. Other doors have been designed to open either direction so that regardless of whether your push or pull, the door will follow your movement.
When a person is using a door they are typically trying to get to a new location. The door is a means to get to their destination and they do not want to be wowed or stop and notice it. They just want to get to their location.
The kitchen tool manufacturer OXO is known for making tools with good grip. While they may be known for this, people often put little thought into grip while using their products. Previous kitchen tools required tight grip to control movement and apply pressure and could easily slip out of the person’s hand. This was especially difficult for those with arthritis or other joint issues. But OXO’s signature peeler had large handles, made from soft, non-slip material and swiveling blade allowed cooks to peel vegetables easily and painlessly, with no fear of the tool falling from their hands. This allowed their focus to shift from peeling towards their recipe or even conversations with others in the room.
Finally, stairs are something we don’t think of as being designed but are carefully thought out. Our ability to walk up and down them with ease depends on them following expectations for height and depth. Additionally, each step in the staircase must be uniform in dimension. When this is not done, a person needs to pay very close attention in order to not fall. In fact, staircases have been intentionally designed to differ in height in order to prevent thieves from entering residences.
Delight still has its place
By no means is delight a bad thing. Creating products that don’t just work but are enjoyable to use improves the overall experience and can make that product stand out among the rest. But delightful design is not appropriate for every situation.
The main problem with delightful design exists when it is prioritized over other factors such as functionality and usability. Delight is the cherry on top of the sundae. It’s a nice finishing touch but the sundae is really about the ice cream. No amount of cherries will make up for a freezer burned scoop of bland vanilla.
