From Function to Emotions in UX Design
#54: Is there a space for emotions in UX design?
Welcome to Fundament, a weekly product design newsletter where we share actionable tips and insightful stories with the worldwide design community.
From Function to Emotions in UX Design
Not long ago, Google released an update to its design system called Material 3 Expressive, which signals a new direction in Google's approach to design. Its goal is to create an emotional connection between users and products through design, focusing on elements like color, shape, size, motion, and containment.
Have you ever wondered why you use certain products or services? Is it always about usability and solving your problem? These days, usability is a baseline. Many products work in similar ways, solve the same problems, and are equally functional. And yet, we all have our favorites, not just digital ones but also physical products. You can probably name a few without much effort. What keeps us using a product over time is not only its functionality or ease of use, but also the emotions it triggers. Does it fascinate and excite you? Does it match your personality and fit your lifestyle?
While working on this new version of their design system, Google conducted 46 studies over the span of three years with more than 18,000 participants. The findings, at least for me, were not very surprising. It turned out that people responded much more positively to expressive designs, especially in the 18 to 24 age group. These designs were often described as energetic, emotive, positive vibe, creative, playful, and friendly. They also scored higher in categories like modernity, subculture, and rebelliousness. Most importantly, expressive designs were easier to use for both younger and older users. However, not all expressive designs performed better in terms of usability. It is important to know when you can lean into bold visual expression and when to rely on established patterns and best practices. I recommend taking a look at the full case study they published.
There is no doubt that considering the emotional experience of users is crucial and can help your product stand out in a competitive landscape. Emotional design is something worth knowing and understanding, especially when you are in a position to intentionally shape this aspect of your product.
What is emotional design?
Emotional design is about creating products that not only deliver value and usability but also evoke emotional responses such as satisfaction, delight, or even excitement. As a result, these products do more than meet users' needs and expectations; they become truly desirable.
This is not about triggering emotions by chance, but through intentional and carefully planned design decisions.
Although emotional design has gained more attention recently, partly thanks to Google, the concept itself is not new. It was popularized in 2003 by no one other than Don Norman.
Norman’s three levels of emotional processing
Don Norman, in his book Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, describes the concept of three levels of emotional processing that influence how users perceive and experience a product. Although these levels can be presented in a certain sequence, they operate simultaneously and interact with each other. When a user’s emotional needs are met at each of these levels, the chances of building a lasting and positive relationship with the product increase:
Visceral: An instinctive evaluation of the product based on first impressions, before any thought about functionality or ease of use occurs. This level relates to aesthetics, visual aspects, sounds, and textures.
Behavioral: An automatic and intuitive, most often subconscious, evaluation of the product. It focuses on whether the product solves a problem, helps achieve goals, and whether this happens in an easy and intuitive way.
Reflective: A conscious evaluation of the product by the user. It involves considering the product’s usefulness, ease of use, and the pleasure derived from using it. It also covers the overall benefits the user gains from the product. This level determines whether the user will abandon the product or continue using it long term.
As mentioned, although these levels are often shown in sequence, all three work together and influence each other. To create a satisfying experience, all three need to be considered. Negative experiences at one level can affect the others, for example:
A negative reaction at the visceral level can impact the behavioral evaluation.
Positive behavioral experiences can strengthen reflections at the reflective level.
Conscious beliefs at the reflective level can modify automatic reactions.
Hierarchy of user needs
In the world of design, there is a user needs hierarchy created by Aarron Walter, modeled after Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It suggests that a product must first be functional, then reliable, followed by usable, and only then can it focus on being pleasurable. Let’s take a closer look at the four levels of Walter’s hierarchy.
Functional
The first level is about whether the product fulfills its core purpose. It should offer essential features, provide value to users, solve their problems, and help them achieve their goals. This is the foundation of any product. Without it, the other levels become irrelevant.
Reliable
The next level is reliability. Once a product is functional and solves the user’s problems, it must also be dependable. It should run smoothly and quickly, without crashing, lagging, or producing errors. Users need to feel confident that the product will support them and not cause them to lose progress or fail to complete their tasks.
Usable
The third level is usability. This means the product should be easy to use and not create friction for the user. The interface should be simple, intuitive, and easy to understand, allowing users to learn how to use the product without unnecessary effort.
Pleasurable
At the top of the hierarchy is pleasure. Once the previous three levels are in place, we can focus on whether using the product is enjoyable, engaging, and satisfying, creating a deeper emotional connection and a sense of fulfillment.
This level of delight can be broken down into two types:
Surface delight includes things like animations, microinteractions, microcopy, and visually impressive design details. These small touches can add charm and personality to the experience.
Deep delight comes from fully meeting all levels of the hierarchy. It results in a product that solves the user’s problems effortlessly, is reliable and easy to use, and works so seamlessly in the background that it never distracts the user from their task.
If the first three needs are not met, users will not be able to appreciate the pleasurable aspects of the product. It is important to focus on the right areas at the right time and avoid investing in emotional design when the product still fails to meet the basic expectations. Even the most beautiful app will not leave a lasting impression if it does not solve real problems. Without that, users will not remember it fondly or associate it with positive emotions.
How does emotional design impact the user experience?
Emotional design is not just about creating visually attractive things. As mentioned earlier, before we can focus on emotions in a product, we also need to make sure it is functional, reliable, and usable, which are some of the most important elements of good UX. With these foundations in place, users receive something that is not only valuable but also capable of evoking strong, positive emotions.
Because emotions are an inseparable part of being human and often guide our actions, we can use them to create delight and build a strong connection with our product. People are more likely to use products that trigger positive feelings. If a product brings satisfaction, pleasure, or even joy or admiration, users start to feel emotionally connected to it and their engagement increases. This also happens when a product fits their lifestyle or personal values. A person who feels emotionally attached to a product is much less likely to abandon it than someone who has no emotional connection. Simply put, positive emotions lead to higher engagement and stronger loyalty.
Including emotional design in our products can also help them stand out in a competitive market. These days, many products offer a similar level of functionality and usability, which means they need something special to attract users.
It is also worth noting that a design that creates positive emotions can make users perceive the product as more useful and functional, even when the actual differences compared to competitors are minimal. Well-designed products can also use emotion to soften frustrating moments, for example by using a friendly tone in error messages or creative illustrations on 404 pages.
Finally, a product that makes us feel something positive is more likely to be remembered than one that feels neutral. It also has a higher chance of being recommended to others.