Jonathan Smiley- 9 Ways to Manipulate People with Design

Designing products is about designing experiences. It's not about pixels, wire frames or sketches, but about creating something that will really stick with people, that they will enjoy and remember.

That's the perspective of Jonathan Smiley, Partner and Design Lead at Zurb, who says "for a product designer, every interface is a potential study in human behavior." By knowing which emotional and cognitive strings to pull, designers can affect how people interact with online products.

This talk, presented to Interact SF, highlights 9 psychological motivators that you can use as tools to make your next product more awesome!

Transcript

1. @interact_sf
2. 9 Ways to Manipulate People with Design
3. Designing products is designing experiences
5. And the best products create lasting connections
7. You can design for connection
8. That’s probably Facebook
9. We are vain, cheap and easily amused
11. Okay. Nine ways. Here we go.
12. Familiarity Bias
13. We like what we know
14. Best new things use familiar patterns
16. Familiar moments create trust
18. Make it easy to get to know you
20. Design patterns make new interfaces feel familiar
22. Unfamiliar patterns can create confusion (at least, at first)
24. Relative Value
25. Comparing is easier than appraising
27. Options make us feel in control
28. Too many options create choice paralysis
30. Things that are limited have more value
32. Bandwagon
33. We are easily swayed by behaviors and opinions of others
35. Strength in numbers
39. Bandwagon can also work against you
42. Authority
43. Authority can trump our own beliefs
44. Experiment: “Teacher” instructed to administer electric shock for “Student’s” wrong answer 65% obeyed, even though they wanted to stop
45. More of this please.
46. More of this please. Just kidding.
49. Be strategic with placement
51. Faith in Aesthetics
52. We first judge the site by its appearance, then consider its content
53. Study: Would you trust a health site? 83% negative comments stemmed from aesthetics
54. Attractive things appear more valuable
57. Aesthetics affect usability
58. Study: Complete tasks on this phone Faster task completion on visually appealing devices
59. Study: Complete tasks on this phone Faster task completion on visually appealing devices Sorry Blackberry.
60. Achievement
61. Competition is great, but we like to win
63. We like challenges that are sort of challenging
65. We appreciate rewards more when we don’t expect them
66. It’s science! Unpredictable rewards cause greater dopamine levels
68. We like showing off
70. Zeigarnik Effect
71. When we become engaged in a story, we have to see how it ends
72. We generally like to finish what we start
73. The key is getting us to start something
75. Varying the length of steps keeps us motivated
77. Sometimes a guilt trip works best
79. Self-expression
80. We are unique, special snowflakes
81. We perceive things we own (or create) as more valuable
83. Find ways to make the experience feel personalized
85. Keep personalization options small
87. Surprise & Delight
88. We remember key moments in our experiences
89. Only highs and lows
90. Create the “highs”
95. Validate the “lows”
98. So many nobs, girl
99. Familiarity Bias Show me something I already understand
100. Relative Value Give me a comparison
101. Bandwagon Tell me I’m missing out
102. Authority Say that it’s worth my while
103. Faith in Aesthetics Make it attractive
104. Achievement Make it a fun game
105. Zeigarnik Effect Help me get closure
106. Self-expression Let me feel unique
107. Surprise & Delight Entertain me
108. Nine ways.
109. Thanks!
110. zurb.com/9ways @ZURB | @smiley