by bensu.kaya -

Multi-Sensory in UX_2: A Journey into to the Multi-Sensory Experience

In previous blog post, I discussed the importance of multi-sensory design in creating immersive user experiences. This post, offers a comprehensive look at sensory appeal, covering its definition, mechanisms, and importance in UX design. Additionally, it provides practical advice on integrating sensory appeal into design processes while addressing associated challenges.

When it comes to UX design, multi-sensory design appeal plays a major role in producing a memorable and engaging user experience. By offering consumers more than simply visual and aural stimulation, it contributes to an improvement in user pleasure and engagement. This can facilitate the development of a more robust emotional bond between consumers and a good, service, or brand.

Different types of Sensory Stimuli

Visual:

  • Color: Utilizing color to elicit emotions, establish contrast, and enhance visual allure.
  • Contrast: Employing contrast to heighten visual interest and optimize usability.
  • Layout: Crafting intuitive and visually coherent layouts to facilitate seamless navigation.

Auditory:

  • Sound Effects: Integrating auditory cues to provide interactive feedback and enrich user experiences.
  • Background Music: Utilizing ambient music to set atmospheres and evoke desired emotional responses.
  • Voiceovers: Incorporating narrations to deliver supplementary information and enhance user guidance.

Olfactory:

  • Scents: Leveraging aromas to evoke specific emotions or associations, enhancing immersion.
  • Aromatherapy: Harnessing scents for their therapeutic properties to augment user experiences.

Gustatory:

  • Flavors: Introducing flavors to enhance sensory engagement and augment product appeal.
  • Food Presentation: Employing aesthetic food presentations to elevate sensory experiences.

Tactile:

  • Touch: Incorporating tactile feedback to provide users with tangible interactions.
  • Texture: Integrating textural elements to enrich sensory perceptions and tactile experiences.

Application in UX Design

Sensory Stimulation: In UX design, sensory appeal operates by delivering multi-dimensional stimuli that transcend mere visual and auditory engagement. This approach cultivates immersive and memorable experiences, fostering deeper connections between users and the subject matter.

Emotional Connectivity: By engaging multiple senses, sensory appeal cultivates emotional resonance, fostering stronger bonds between users and products, services, or brands. This emotional connectivity enhances user engagement and satisfaction, thereby optimizing overall user experiences.

A Few Tips for Incorporating Sensory Appeal in UX Design

  1. Select Relevant Sensory Stimuli:

Before infusing sensory appeal into UX design, it’s crucial to pinpoint the sensory stimuli that best suit the product or service. For instance, a bakery might leverage the aroma of freshly baked cookies, while a gaming app could benefit from immersive sound effects.

  1. Maintain Balance and Consistency:

Incorporate sensory stimuli judiciously and consistently. Overloading users with sensory input can overwhelm them, while insufficient stimulation may lead to a lackluster experience. Strive for a harmonious blend that enriches without overpowering.

  1. Account for User Context:

Consider the context in which users engage with the product or service. Factors like environment and user preferences should inform decisions about sensory elements. For example, users in quiet public spaces may prefer minimal auditory distractions.

  1. Test and Refine Continuously:

Regular testing and refinement are essential to ensure that sensory appeal enhances the user experience effectively. Utilize user feedback and iterative design processes to fine-tune sensory elements and gauge their impact on user engagement.

Challenges and Limitations of Incorporating Sensory Appeal into UX Design

  1. Technical Limitations:

Some devices may lack the capability to support certain sensory stimuli, such as smell or taste. Designers must navigate these constraints creatively to deliver compelling sensory experiences within technical boundaries.

  1. User Preference and Accessibility:

User preferences vary, and certain sensory elements may not be universally appealing or accessible. Designers should consider inclusivity and accommodate diverse user needs, ensuring that sensory appeal enhances rather than hinders usability.

  1. Cost Considerations:

Implementing sensory appeal, particularly advanced features like haptic feedback or virtual reality, can incur significant costs. Companies must assess the cost-effectiveness of integrating sensory elements against potential benefits to justify investment in UX enhancement.

In summary, sensory appeal is a cornerstone of effective UX design, enriching user experiences beyond visual and auditory realms. When integrated thoughtfully, sensory stimuli foster emotional connections, bolster brand recognition, and differentiate products in competitive markets. However, designers must navigate technical constraints, accommodate user diversity, and manage costs to leverage sensory appeal successfully. By striking a balance, considering user context, iteratively refining designs, and addressing challenges, companies can create immersive, engaging, and memorable user experiences that elevate their brand presence and competitive edge.

Resources:

  • https://www.front-commerce.com/sensory-ux-in-the-digital-era/#:~:text=and%20channels%20themselves.-,What%20is%20sensory%20UX,of%20a%20product%20or%20service.
  • https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/sensory-appeal-in-ux-design-the-secret-to-enhancing-user-experience-ac46755eae3f
  • https://medium.com/syfte-blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-sensory-design-f4d02f4633ce
by molly.gibson -

Human Interactions at Festivals

Long time no see blog. To pick up again the project for the last couple of blogposts i have decided to continue to look directly into the research about the festival experience. I realized that i started this research in a bit of an opposite direction than what is recommended as a designer. We should first find our users and research them, find their problems, and then try to find solutions. However i knew that there are many issues at festivals, and went straight to looking at possible solutions, with out clearly defining what i was looking for.

Therefore the focus if these lasts blogpost will be on defining and figuring out what i actually want to solve. One of the main articles i have focused on this week has been “Tourist-to-Tourist Interaction at Festivals: A Grounded Theory Approach”. This article is focused on how person to person interactions negatively and positively impact the experience at festivals, and why this is so important to look at. One of the main take aways from the article is that these Tourist-to-Tourist interactions are a overlooked part of research on festivals, but a very important part of the festival experience, and good interactions leads to higher likelihood of repeat customers.

This article is based on research conducted at the Midi Music Festival in China. Even thought this study is based in china which is culturally very different from the west, this article is relevant for me. As described in the article “The Midi Music Festival (Midi) originated from the underground rock music scene and has grown to pioneer the music festival industry in China. Midi has been considered the Chinese “Woodstock” as it contains many western festival characteristics (e.g., rock and pop music, outdoors, camping, alcohol) [52]. Midi is the largest and longest-running non-government music festival in mainland China.” Therefore i think the insight that for many the personal interaction with other festival goers can be some of the most impactful at a festival. But what are these interactions and how do you design for them?

The article defines three types of TTI interactions at a festival

  • Entertainment: Hanging out at your campsite, playing music with each other or for each other, partying with strangers
  • Mutual assistance behavior: Helping new festival goers that are lost, picking someone up that fell down in the crowd, sharing your water etc..
  • Conflict: Pushing at stages, noisy neighbors in camp etc.

So how should a festival design for one type of interaction, but can avoid conflict as much as possible. The article presents two main factors that impact the TTI, the festival scape and the social landscape. The festival scape are the physical impacts: so weather, spatial layout of the festival grounds and the musical performances. The social landscape is a bit more diffuse and hard to get a handle on, but this is the perception of the social “vibes” in the crowd. But is also effected by things like crowd density and emotions.

The article proposed this conceptual model for how TTI works at a festival, and i think this is a very interesting way to look at it. From my own personal experiences i also believe that the human interactions you have at a festival can be the most meaningful and memorable.

This was all for this week, and next week i will continue to explore what are the motivations and gains of the attendes at festivals

Tourist-to-Tourist Interaction at Festivals: A Grounded Theory Approach

Sun, Huan & Wu, Shaofeng & Li, Yanning & Dai, Guangquan. (2019). Tourist-to-Tourist Interaction at Festivals: A Grounded Theory Approach. Sustainability. 11. 4030. 10.3390/su11154030.

by bensu.kaya -

Multi-Sensory in UX: A Journey into to the Multi-Sensory Experience

In the user experience (UX) design field, the recent focus on Multi-Sensory UX Design reveals a critical insight that designers often dismiss. Traditional design approaches that focus on visual and auditory elements fall short of taking advantage of the profound impact on emotions and memories that can take when engaging multiple senses simultaneously.

What is Sensory Design?

The intentional consideration and manipulation of sensory elements, like sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, in order to induce specific responses or emotions in users is known as sensory design. Sensory design in UX aims to create a holistic experience that goes beyond the visual and combines various senses to engage and captivate users. Every user interaction with a product is a sensory experience. Sensory design wants to make sense of engagement deeper and more multifaceted.

What is Multi-Sensory Design?

The multi-sensory design increases sensory design by seamlessly integrating multiple senses into the user experience. It emphasizes that users interact with digital products through various visual, auditory, tactile, and even olfactory channels. Multi-sensory design enhances the general impression and memorability of a product or service. Multi-sensory design is the practice of creating an experience that is more than just visuals. To make it more meaningful, it plays with feelings, connects with sounds and smells, communicates with the environment, and builds a physical space.

What is the impact of Multi-Sensory Design on UX?

The multi-sensory design has an important effect on user engagement and satisfaction. Designers can create more memorable and emotionally compelling interactions by appealing to a wider variety of sensory experiences. This deeper involvement can lead to higher retention of users, stronger brand loyalty, and a distinct competitive advantage in the market.

Considering the emotional impact that a beautiful sunset, a nostalgic piece of music, or a familiar fragrance can have. Multi-Sensory UX uses the connection between our senses and emotions to build powerful and long-lasting memories in the digital world.

Why is Multi-sensory design is important?

Participation and Memorability:

  • It increases memory retention with various sensory stimuli.
  • It stimulates multiple senses, creating a captivating user experience.

Accessibility and Emotional Connection:

  • It benefits users with various sensory needs by increasing accessibility.
  • It evokes emotions by creating a stronger connection between users and products or services.

Feedback, Usability and Brand Differentiation:

  • It improves navigation and usability by providing reassuring sensory feedback.
  • It enables brands to stand out with different and memorable experiences.

Cross-Model Redundancy and Reduced Cognitive Load:

  • It improves comprehension by presenting information through multiple senses.
  • It reduces cognitive tension by distributing information efficiently.

Innovation and creativity:

  • It encourages creative exploration by encouraging innovative solutions in UX design.

Multi-sensory design has become a game changer when it comes to improving user experiences. It goes beyond what we see and hear in order to create interactive and memorable connections. This increases satisfaction and makes it easier to use websites or apps. It helps remember a brand by providing unique and unforgettable experiences. Standing out in a marketplace full of competitors is essential, and multi-sensory design gives brands an advantage by making them unique and easy to remember.

Resources:

  • https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/sensory-design
  • https://www.front-commerce.com/sensory-ux-in-the-digital-era/
  • https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/sensory-appeal-in-ux-design-the-secret-to-enhancing-user-experience-ac46755eae3f
  • https://www.yellowslice.in/bed/why-multisensory-designs-create-memorable-experiences-for-users/
by dragana.maksimovic -

How to design for autism?

Studies have shown that when it comes to performing regular daily tasks, such as shopping, socializing or learning, people with autism tend to feel more comfortable online. Having that in mind, it is very important to make websites and online platforms accessible to people with autism, especially if they are being used as educational tools.

A lot of people with ASD are visual learners, which means that children an easier time understanding and learning if they are visually stimulated. However, rapidly changing information can be overwhelming, which is why it is also recommended to follow simple layouts with a clear and consistent structure to avoid sensory overload.

When it comes to colors, with ASD prefer more muted colors, compared to neurotypical people. In a testing that was conducted in 2016., preferences for the yellow color were much lower for children with autism, while green and brown were most preferred:

“In order to explain these results, the fact that the yellow color had the highest luminance value among the colors tested should not dismissed. The observed aversion to this color might reflect hyper-sensitivity of children with ASD to luminance. There is also a general consensus that yellow is the most fatiguing color (Kernell, 2016). It is well known that our eyes are provided with three different types of cone cells for color perception, L, M, and S, which correspond to the perception of red, green, and blue light, respectively. When yellow is perceived, however, both L and M must be involved. The perception of yellow should thus be the most heavily sensory-loaded of the perception of any type of color. Its perception is bearable for TD children, but could be over-loaded for children with ASD whose sensitivity to sensory stimulation is enhanced.”

References and relevant links:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5179595/

https://www.scottishautism.org/about-autism/research-and-training/design-autism

https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/education-professionals

by katharina.rauch -

Cognitive UX #1 // Designing for the Mind: The Intersection of Cognitive Psychology and User Experience Design.

Regardless of the type of products you are working on, what matters is that you design systems for how people think.

Don Norman

With „Cognitive UX“ I want to delve into the connection between cognitive psychology and user experience design (UX). I will explore how a deeper understanding of our minds can enhance the way we design various user interfaces, that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also psychologically effective, engaging and user friendly. I want to explore how our minds work and use these insights to improve the overall design of digital spaces.

Psychology in UX Design, Ish∆n
https://uxdesign.cc/the-psychology-of-ux-design-859439bc8a32

Research Questions

Within my research, I aim to answer the main research questions: „How does cognitive psychology influence user experience design?“ and „How to enhance user experience through psychological considerations in an effective and user-friendly way?“ and investigate into various directions and influences, such as:

Understanding User Cognition

– How do users think and process information and various design elements?
– What mental processes influence how users interact with digital interfaces?
– How can understanding cognitive biases improve UX design?

Perception and Design

– How do users perceive and respond to various design elements and information?
– How can design elements be structured to align with users cognitive perceptions?
– How do visual and sensory perceptions influence the aesthetics and functionality of a user interface?

Design Thinking and Problem Solving

– How to apply cognitive processes to creative problem-solving?
– In what ways can cognitive processes enhance creative problem-solving in design?
– How can UX designers use cognitive psychology to anticipate and solve user problems?

Emotional Psychology

– What impact do user emotions have on the overall user experience?
– What design elements can trigger positive emotional reactions in users?
– How can UX designers measure and analyse emotional responses to their designs?

Decision Making and User Choice

– How do design elements influence and support user decision-making processes?
– What strategies can be used to simplify user choices?
– How can cognitive psychology be used to predict and guide user decisions?

User Behaviour and Interaction Patterns

– What common patterns emerge in user behaviour when interacting with digital interfaces?
– How can designers anticipate and cater to these behavioural patterns?
– What role does user context (e.g., environment, device) play in shaping interaction patterns?

Accessibility and Cognitive Diversity

– How can UX design be tailored to accommodate users with different cognitive abilities and limitations?
– What are the challenges in designing for cognitive diversity, and how can they be addressed?
– How can universal design principles be applied to ensure cognitive accessibility?

User Testing and Cognitive Feedback

– How can insights from cognitive psychology be effectively applied in conducting usability tests?
– How can designers interpret cognitive feedback to improve UX design?
– Which methods are most effective for collecting cognitive feedback during user testing?

Cognitive Psychology in UX Strategy

– How can cognitive psychology principles be integrated into a holistic UX strategy?
– What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of applying cognitive psychology in UX design?
– How can cognitive psychology inform the long-term vision and direction of UX projects?

Development and Prospects in Cognitive UX

– How has the practice of cognitive UX evolved over time, and what key historical insights have shaped its development?
– What are the emerging trends in cognitive psychology that could impact future UX design
– How might advancements in technology, like AI, augment cognitive UX strategies?

Personal Motivation

After careful consideration and alternating between topics in user experience design (UX Unicorn) and mental health (Imposter Syndrome), I have decided on a new topic that combines these two interests in a certain way. I have a strong interest in human minds and a desire to deepen my knowledge of UX design, which makes this topic an ideal choice. It allows me to explore the humans psyche and how to apply this knowledge to create better user interfaces. It also illustrates the intersection of science, psychology and art and emphasises the role of psychology in a field like UX that seamlessly connects different disciplines.

Relevance

This topic holds significant value as it merges insights about the human mind with the enhancement of user experience design. Understanding how people think and process information enables the creation of user interfaces like websites and apps that are not only visually appealing but also intuitive and user-centric. This approach can lead to more effective and satisfying user interactions, making digital products more accessible and enjoyable. It leads to better experiences for users and more impactful designs.

A designer who doesn’t understand human psychologies is going to be no more successful than an architect who doesn’t understand physics.

Joe Leech

Challenges

One possible challenge with this topic is balancing the complex theories of cognitive psychology with practical UX design. Cognitive psychology can be quite detailed and scientific, so applying these concepts to design in a simple, user-friendly way might be tricky. Another challenge could be keeping up with the latest research and technology in both fields. Also, designers need to consider diverse user needs, which means understanding a wide range of cognitive abilities and preferences. This can make it hard to create designs that work well for everyone.

Relevant Institutions

Literature

Preview

For my next steps, I want to look at the basic concepts of cognitive psychology and how they apply when it comes to UX design. This will help build a solid foundation for the topic. I will also explore different directions and aspects in this regard. In terms of general topics, I don’t want to limit myself too much yet. These can be extended in a variety of directions: From exploring the Gestalt principles of design, the laws and principles of UX and interesting personalities in this field (such as Don Norman) through a closer look at the past and future of „Cognitive UX“ and different directions (such as emotional design, mindful design, user-centred design) to very specific examples (such as the phenomenon around Facebook’s Like button or the small but impactful difference within ATMs). I would then also like to provide some examples of how these theories are used in the design of user interfaces such as websites and apps and show some case studies of successful designs. Tests and interviews with users would also be interesting at a later stage. I am looking forward to dive deeper into the field of UX psychology and how it shapes and improves the user experience in profound ways.

by bensu.kaya -

Design for Five Senses: A Journey Into To The Multi-Sensory Experience

Multisensory design is a new technique that extends beyond the typical focus on sight and sound to encompass all five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. It aims to develop places, products and experiences that engage users on a deeper level by stimulating various senses simultaneously. This technique is not limited to one sector; it can be applied to architecture, product design, marketing, user experience design and other fields.

Industrial designer Jinsop Lee believed that great design appeals to all five senses. This was called by him the Five Senses Theory. Jinsop also gave a Ted talk on the subject years ago. He believes that all experiences can be rated using all five senses. For example, eating noodles can be rated by sight, smell, touch, taste and sound.

5 Senses Graph, created by Jinsop Lee

He continues to discuss his theory by evaluating the different experiences he has had in his life in terms of the five senses and applying this to the ‚The 5 Senses Graph‘ he made.

This is how the perfect experience would look like on the 5 Senses Graph – a horizontal line along the top. In the years of gathering data, Jinsop Lee says that the only experience managed to come close to being the perfect one is sex.

Jinsop Lee mentiones that many designers, including himself, focus on making things look beautiful and somehow tactile, while ignoring the other three senses. He is trying to change that completely. Lee wants to apply his theory to future designs and hopes to inspire others to do the same, making designs that engage all our senses.

The five senses theory is a very helpful way of evaluating various life experiences and then hopefully incorporating those best experiences into any form of design.

by katharina.rauch -

UX Unicorn #1 // From Myth to Practice: Exploring and Applying UX Unicorn Multidisciplinarity.

The myth of the unicorn, the pure steed with the single spiralling horn, goes back to antiquity, with legends of unicorn hunts memorialised in medieval tapestries … now a ‘unicorn’ often refers to someone or something exceedingly special and worth seeking.

Ben Zimmer, Wall Street Journal

A UX unicorn is a term used to describe a professional in the field of user experience who possesses a wide range of skills and expertise across various aspects of UX design and research. These individuals are often considered well-rounded and versatile in their abilities, combining skills such as user research, interaction design, usability testing, information architecture, visual design, and more. In essence, a UX unicorn is a multi-disciplinary expert who can tackle many aspects of the UX design process, from understanding user needs to designing, creating and testing user interfaces. This term is often used to highlight the value of individuals who can bridge gaps and work effectively in diverse UX roles.

Anatomy of a UX unicorn, Philip Likens
https://uxplanet.org/what-is-a-ux-unicorn-do-ux-unicorns-exist-and-should-you-become-one-73a7e2bcc9b4

Ten skills you need to be a UX unicorn, Conor-Ward
https://medium.com/@uxmuch/ten-skills-you-need-to-be-a-ux-unicorn-f7ec555981b0

Research Questions

Through my research, I would like to explore the broad field of user experience design. What is UX design? What do UX designers do? What differentiations exist? What qualities should you bring to the field? What soft and hard skills do I need to become a UX designer? What methods are used? What does the past of UX design tells us and what does the future hold? Which principles and rules should you follow? What trends can be identified? And why do we actually need UX design? 

Subsequently and based on this, I will take a closer look at the term UX unicorn and provide answers to related questions. What is the role and impact of UX unicorns? How do UX unicorns collaborate with other team members? What value do UX unicorns bring to cross-functional teams? What skills and competences define a UX unicorn? What challenges and obstacles do UX unicorns encounter in their role? What is the importance of UX unicorns?

Personal Motivation 

The overall goal is to create a comprehensive guide to UX design. I would like to deepen and expand my knowledge in this area in order to subsequently apply what I have learnt to a practical example. I aim to create a pathway to the best possible preparation for the working environment in this field. I am curious to see what insights two years of research will bring and how my knowledge in this area will change in order to pass it on to others.

Relevance

In the design industry, the demand for UX unicorns – professionals who are trained in multiple disciplines – is generally increasing. These individuals not only bridge the gaps between the different design areas, improving team collaboration and dynamics, but are also always up to date with new trends and developments. Their holistic understanding of user-centered design leads to superior user experiences and reflects the evolving requirements in this area. Studying UX unicorns can provide valuable insights into innovative problem solving and inform design education to better prepare designers for these multifaceted roles. As an overarching goal, the results can also be transferred to collaborative design teams to see where and how to work professionally as an UX designer.

Challenges 

Within the research of the topic UX unicorn a few challenges could arise. As the term is not widely recognized and has no universally accepted definition, I need to clarify what exactly it means within my research. ­­Furthermore, as I am working with this relatively abstract concept like the UX unicorn, it could be challenging to define clear objectives and the scope of my research. Last but not least navigating the vast amount of existing literature in the field of UX design in general can be a challenge, as a thorough and time-consuming review is required to ensure that my research is both solid and clear.

Relevant Institutions 

Preview

In the next step, I want to dive into the topic of UX unicorn. I would like to organise my research topics and approach the topic of UX unicorn step by step. Possible further topics could be the following: role and responsibilities of UX unicorns, skills and qualifications of UX unicorns, the impact of UX unicorns on product development, effective work practices for UX unicorns, challenges and obstacles for UX unicorns, the future of UX unicorns, case studies and practical examples, comparison with other approaches in UX, evaluation of tools and methods for UX unicorns, role of ethics and sustainability in the work of UX unicorns.