Stephen Anderson – Hooked on a feeling

Presented at UX Lausanne 2015 – http://2015.uxlausanne.com #UXLS

What other mediums tell us about what it means to craft an experience.
For all of the hype around “user experience” it often feels like we struggle with what it means to actually craft an experience.
We build and ship products that are perfectly fine. We make things that are usable, attractive, responsive, reliable and whatever else has come to be expected. And yet, there’s something missing. Something intangible. It’s not obvious what’s missing, until we contrast our own work against other mediums more established than our own: Film. Game design. Storytelling. Advertising… These mediums know how to make us feel, in deep and profound ways. So how do we do the same? Are there processes we can change, or things we can do to create memorable and meaningful experiences? And who has reached this level of emotional engagement? In this session, Stephen P. Anderson will explore the subtle, but critical ways we can level up our work, bringing a depth and richness to the experiences we shape.
http://2015.uxlausanne.com/speakers/stephen-p-anderson/

Transcript

1. Stephen P. Anderson @stephenanderson #uxls t
2. We make things that are: usable attractive responsive reliable user tested aligned with business goals delivered on time etc.
3. We make things that are: usable attractive responsive reliable user tested aligned with business goals delivered on time etc. And yet... I feel like there’s something missing.
4. We make things that are: usable attractive responsive reliable user tested aligned with business goals delivered on time etc. And yet... I feel like there’s something missing. Something intangible…
5. What might be missing? A C T I :
6. EXHIBIT #1: Movie Animations
8. If an animator does their job right, animations not only move the story along but visually display a character’s personality. These Big Hero 6 test animations of the characters performing what is superficially the same action show just how much depth Disney’s animators brought to each of them. Commentary from The Mary Sue: “
9. What kind of depth do we bring to our experiences?
10. EXHIBIT #2: Board Game Design
11. http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/the-themes-they-are-a-changing/
12. The key was to go down a level deeper. At work, we were doing a branding exercise for a product, and we listed off the adjectives we wanted to describe the product. I realized that a similar exercise would work here… I mulled over all the feedback on the mechanics: what type of experience were they creating on their own? What adjectives did players use to talk about the mechanics? Players described the game as simple and elegant. It was calming and relaxing to play. They were surprised and delighted by the richness of the decisions. They said it flowed smoothly, that they could play it over and over again. http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/the-themes-they-are-a-changing/
13. The key was to go down a level deeper. At work, we were doing a branding exercise for a product, and we listed off the adjectives we wanted to describe the product. I realized that a similar exercise would work here… I mulled over all the feedback on the mechanics: what type of experience were they creating on their own? What adjectives did players use to talk about the mechanics? Players described the game as simple and elegant. It was calming and relaxing to play. They were surprised and delighted by the richness of the decisions. They said it flowed smoothly, that they could play it over and over again.
14. This image captured perfectly the feeling that the playing the game produced, and I knew a theme and narrative woven around this could work to produce a great experience. http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/the-themes-they-are-a-changing/
15. http://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/the-themes-they-are-a-changing/
18. How often do we really let design principles drive every product decision?
19. How often do we really let design principles drive every product decision? adding features pushing back on customer requests prioritizing the backlog how we design a familiar feature eliminating features
20. EXHIBIT #3: “The Carousel”
22. “…a time machine. It goes backwards, forwards. Takes us to a place where we ache to go again.”
23. How often do we focus on the soul of a thing?
24. Don’t take these similarities too literally.
25. Don’t take these similarities too literally. Big Hero 6 Character Studies “Let’s focus on better UI animations” “In what nuanced ways do we evoke aesthetic reactions?”
26. Don’t take these similarities too literally. Big Hero 6 Character Studies Board Game Design “Let’s focus on better UI animations” “Let’s create a narrative, entertainment-like, emotional experience!” “In what nuanced ways do we evoke aesthetic reactions?” “Is there a cohesive set of emotions that anchor all of our product decisions?
27. Don’t take these similarities too literally. Big Hero 6 Character Studies Board Game Design “The Carousel” Clip “Let’s focus on better UI animations” “Let’s create a narrative, entertainment-like, emotional experience!” “Let’s figure out how to sell our stuff, like Don Draper!” “In what nuanced ways do we evoke aesthetic reactions?” “Is there a cohesive set of emotions that anchor all of our product decisions? “Focus on the experience, not the features”
28. deeper depth experience soul theme narrative nuance richness emotion detail craftsmanship
29. deeper depth experience soul theme narrative nuance richness emotion detail How do we craft an experience? craftsmanship
30. Who is crafting a great experience? What are some good examples of of well-crafted experiences… things that make us feel? A C T I I :
34. Medium ???
35. It’s 2012…
36. “a publishing platform…” It’s 2012…
37. you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles It’s 2012… “a publishing platform…”
38. you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles It’s 2012… “a publishing platform…” ?
39. you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles It’s 2012… “a publishing platform…” ! no customization options ! no custom domains ! royalty-free access to all content ?
40. you can write and publish online articles other people can comment on your articles you can share articles bookmark articles ! no customization options ! no custom domains ! royalty-free access to all content “a publishing platform…” ? It’s 2012… …a new place on the Internet where people share ideas and stories that are longer than 140 characters and not just for friends. It’s designed for little stories that make your day better and manifestos that change the world. It’s used by everyone from professional journalists to amateur cooks. It’s simple, beautiful, collaborative, and it helps you find the right audience for whatever you have to say.” “
42. “Everything changed for me over the weekend when I took the time to write a blog post on Medium.” “As someone who writes a lot of stuff and has used a lot of different writing software, I'm telling you that I was blown away by the quality of the product as a writing tool.” “The entire process is a breeze. And once published, the article looks pretty good too in terms of typography and appearance.” “Intuitive enough to seem psychic.” “Because it is such a pleasure to work with, Medium has become something of a fetish object for writers.” “It does not take a user experience designer to publish a professional story.” “A joy to use!” “It’s so damn beautiful. Medium has removed all the cruft that gets between the reader and the message…” “Clean design, great concept, full of potential treasures to be read.” “The best writing tool on the web.”
43. But here’s the thing: I feel as if the service looks so good that it invites only the best content that I—or anyone— can write before actually hitting publish. Let’s put it another way: If I’m going to write a post on Medium, I don’t want to let Medium down. (“It’s not you, it’s me.”) “Part of the reason I haven’t published to Medium is because I’m slightly intimidated. I know that is illogical and insane on the surface, but I feel intimidated and almost as if I have to rise to a higher standard on Medium.” —Christina Warren, senior tech analyst at Mashable
44. But here’s the thing: I feel as if the service looks so good that it invites only the best content that I—or anyone— can write before actually hitting publish. Let’s put it another way: If I’m going to write a post on Medium, I don’t want to let Medium down. (“It’s not you, it’s me.”) “Part of the reason I haven’t published to Medium is because I’m slightly intimidated. I know that is illogical and insane on the surface, but I feel intimidated and almost as if I have to rise to a higher standard on Medium.” —Christina Warren, senior tech analyst at Mashable
45. A different experience!
46. • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality
47. • Designed more like a magazine. • Designed a social system to create a built-in audience for new authors • Launched with published authors (which set really high bar for content) • Hired former Wired.com editor Evan Hansen as an editor for the site • Bought he long-form journalism startup Matter • Created what is arguably the best writing tool on the planet • Promoted contextual comments • Focused on typographic UI details that compete w/ centuries of print (vs other web platforms) • Focused A LOT on quality content • Offered pre-publishing feedback • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality The not so obvious “how to build” (& launch) experience details
48. • Designed more like a magazine. • Designed a social system to create a built-in audience for new authors • Launched with published authors (which set really high bar for content) • Hired former Wired.com editor Evan Hansen as an editor for the site • Bought he long-form journalism startup Matter • Created what is arguably the best writing tool on the planet • Promoted contextual comments • Focused on typographic UI details that compete w/ centuries of print (vs other web platforms) • Focused A LOT on quality content • Offered pre-publishing feedback • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality The not so obvious “how to build” (& launch) experience details Product
49. • Designed more like a magazine. • Designed a social system to create a built-in audience for new authors • Launched with published authors (which set really high bar for content) • Hired former Wired.com editor Evan Hansen as an editor for the site • Bought he long-form journalism startup Matter • Created what is arguably the best writing tool on the planet • Promoted contextual comments • Focused on typographic UI details that compete w/ centuries of print (vs other web platforms) • Focused A LOT on quality content • Offered pre-publishing feedback • you can write and publish online articles • other people can comment on your articles • you can share articles • bookmark articles The obvious “what to build” features & functionality The not so obvious “how to build” (& launch) experience details Experiences Product
52. Still amazed by how much @SlackHQ reduced the number of unnecessary emails I could have on a normal workday. #slack Added my entire cohort at @bitmakerlabs to @SlackHQ. Great way to get tons of valuable feedback considered too informal for email. @SlackHQ is already the glue of our remote team. Can't believe we lived without it. The UI in @SlackHQ is SO well considered. Full of helpful surprises. I have to say, @SlackHQ + @appear_in is a game changer for easy video conferencing. By far the lowest friction solution I've seen. Just discovered @slackHQ, which lets us see all our updates from trello, sourcetree and drive in one stream! We're in love :D and it's free! Loving the @SlackHQ experience. Looks like it'll join #Evernote & #Wunderlist as another daily productivity app I can't live without @SlackHQ this may be the best piece of software I found in years #inlove "With @SlackHQ, the world of business software is edging into consumer tech. And it's surprisingly good fun." Started using @SlackHQ for the first time in a while at work and it has been one of the happiest days I've had! Thanks!
53. •You can create a room •add people •share files •chat as a group, or •direct message one another The obvious “what to build” features & functionality
54. •Went after individuals and product teams (vs entire companies) •Focused on a differentiated brand •WOM marketing •Laser focus on quality and responsiveness, taking longer than normal to iterate the preview version •Positioned themselves against email and mailing lists (not the “chat room” category) •TONS of integrations (more of a glue between existing services, than a competing service) •Super-frictionless tool, available for nearly every platform!! •Solid team •You can create a room •add people •share files •chat as a group, or •direct message one another The obvious “what to build” features & functionality The not so obvious “how to build” (& launch) experience details
56. What’s required to craft a great experience? A C T I I I :
57. align around the experience
58. Meaningful Pleasurable Convenient Usable Reliable Functional (Useful) Focused on Experiences (People, Activities, Context) Focused on Tasks (Products, Features) © SUBJECTIVE / QUALITATIVE OBJECTIVE / QUANTIFIABLE Has personal significance Memorable experience worth sharing Super easy to use, works like I think Can be used without difficulty Is available and accurate Works as programmed Prioritize Aesthetics (no, not Graphic Design) (visual, behaviors, sounds, psychology) Design for FLOW (boredom vs anxiety) Leverage Game Mechanics/Learning Theory (completeness) Have a Personality Create conversational and context aware interactions (“Adaptive Interfaces”; narrative IA structures) Elicit Desire (Limited availability, limited access, curious and seductive experiences) Simplify, organize, and clarify Display information visually Reduce features and complexity Use language for more natural Add features that support desired ine browsing) Have a believable story Co-create value with customers Connect people in community Are part of a bigger system Appeal to emotional, spiritual, and Create a tolerance for faults at Are tied to a person’s self-image, highly personal Creating Pleasurable Inte Getting fom Tasks to Expe presented by Stephen P. Anderson | N “It is not en products tha understand we also nee that bring j pleasure an beauty, to pe THIS IS THE “CHASM” THAT IS REALLY, REALLY HARD FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO CROSS
59. Experience Focus Product Focus
60. Experience Focus Product Focus
61. Experience Focus Product Focus people, activities & context tasks & features
62. Experience Focus Product Focus people, activities & context tasks & features outcomes and experiences output and functionality
63. Experience Focus Product Focus people, activities & context tasks & features outcomes and experiences output and functionality perceptions, emotions, attention, memory… interfaces, interactions, usability, etc.
64. “do” needs “be” needs
65. “do” needs “be” needs Autonomy-Independence Competence-effectance Relatedness-belongingness Influence-popularity Pleasure-stimulation Security-control Physical Thriving-bodily Self-actualizing-meaning Self-esteem-self-respect Money-luxury
66. https://medium.com/the-job-to-be-done/replacing-the-user-story-with-the-job-story-af7cdee10c27
67. https://medium.com/the-job-to-be-done/replacing-the-user-story-with-the-job-story-af7cdee10c27
69. A teenage girl with a bleak outlook needs to feel more socially accepted when eating healthy food, because in her hood a social risk is more dangerous than a health risk
70. When a product team is not aligned…
73. “MIND-MELDING”
74. “MIND-MELDING”
75. “MIND-MELDING” What it is… How it feels… What values should constrain decisions… What it’s like / not like The experience of using it…
76. Vision Statement. Design Tenets Prototype. Anything needed to mind-meld across the entire team! Press Release Concept Models (and so on)
77. obsess over the details
78. “…until it feels right” With board games, you endlessly playtest… With animations, you speed up, slow down, change they style… With film editing, you cut, recut, change the sequence… With presentations you rehearse and adjust things…
80. (slider JS animation example from UX London)
81. focus on the whole
84. “The Whole is Other than the Sum of the Parts”
85. “An Experience is Other than the Sum of the Parts”
89. != The pieces are the same… …but the final experience here is just WRONG!
90. Product
91. Experiences Product
92. Production. Direction. Balance. Orchestration. Choreography.
93. [Avengers] was very difficult to make it flow and cohere in terms of all the changing perspectives and characters, all these movie stars, all these beats to hit. It's a ridiculously complex puzzle. But once you’ve got the puzzle, and you’re just filling in the voices and coming up with the moments, that’s what’s fun” — J O S S W H E D O N “
96. Surprise and delight are the high-fructose corn syrup of the experience economy” “
97. focus on awesome users
98. We tend to focus on making awesome products making an awesome service making an awesome company …but what if we focused on making awesome users?
99. We tend to focus on making awesome products making an awesome service making an awesome company …but what if we focused on making awesome users?
100. Example of User Awesome: I find the clean organization of Ulysses gets out of my way, and when I’m writing—it’s as smooth as silk. In a subtle way, I feel inspired by Ulysses and consequentially, I end up spending more time with my butt in the chair, actually writing because I’m enjoying myself.” —Micah Moss, Screenwriter and Novelist “
101. Look for needs (the why & when) focus on the whole focus on awesome users Look for opportunities to create transformative experiences …not just the parts …not just a few playful moments Keep iterating, until it feels just right Align the entire product team around the desired outcome Let the desired experience to drive all product decisions align around the experience obsess over the details
102. People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel.” — M A Y A A N G E L O U “
103. Thank you! getmentalnotes.com Design for Understanding Stephen P. Anderson @stephenanderson www.poetpainter.com | www.slideshare.net/stephenpa