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VGTU
Faculty of mechanics
Design of experience
Written by Benas Rimša PIVm-3
VILNIUS 2004 First of all I would like to define what the experience design is.According American institute of graphic art (AIGA) experience design shouldbe formulated or defined like this: • A different approach to design that has wider boundaries than traditional design and that strives for creating experiences beyond just products or services • The view of a product or service from the entire lifecycle with a customer, from before they perceive the need to when they discard it • Creating a relationship with individuals, not targeting a mass market • Concerned with invoking and creating an environment that connects on an emotional or value level to the customer • Built upon both traditional design disciplines in the creation of products, services, as well as environments in a variety of disciplines[2].
Elements of Experience Design
While everything is, technically, an experience of some sort, there issomething special to many experiences that make them worth discussing. Inparticular, the elements that contribute to superior experiences areknowable and reproducible, which makes them designable. The concept tograsp is that all experiences are important and that we can learn from themwhether they are traditional, physical, offline experiences or whether theyare digital, online, or other technological experiences. In fact, we know agreat deal about experiences and their creation through these other,established disciplines that can-and must-be used to develop new solutions.These aren’t always obvious and, surely, they aren’t fool-proof, but it’simportant to realize that great experiences can be deliberate and basedupon some principles that have been proven.
Designing the Total Experience
It’s not necessary for every experience to address all possiblecriteria, but it is important to build an experience that is well-rounded
and successful for the majority of its audience or participants. ExperienceDesign isn’t so much a discipline as it is an approach that is applicableto many disciplines. For sure, however, it isn’t something that happensaccidentally, and absolutely requires not only thought but work. Experiences are one of the most valuable memories we have and one ofthe things most people spend the most amount of time and money on.Successful experiences are valuable both financially and emotionally andthe more we learn about how to create them (whether through approach,process, understanding, or specific criteria), the better the experienceswe can create and the more enriching our lives can become [1].Framework
One of the most important ways to define an experience is to searchits boundaries. While many experiences are ongoing, sometimes evenindefinitely, most have edges that define their start, middle, and end.Much like a story (a special and important type of experience), theseboundaries help us differentiate meaning, pacing, and completion. Whetherit is due to attention span, energy, or emotion, most people cannotcontinue an experience indefinitely; they will grow tired, confused, ordistracted if an experience, however consistent, doesn’t conclude. At the very least, think of an experience as requiring an attraction,an engagement, and a conclusion. The attraction is necessary to initiatethe experience, though this need not be synonymous with distraction. Anattraction can be cognitive, visual, auditory, or it can signal any of oursenses. For example, the attraction to fill-out your taxes is based on needand not a flashy introduction. However, there still needs to be cues as towhere and how to begin the experience.The engagement is the experience itself. It needs to be sufficientlydifferent than the surrounding environment of the experience to hold the
attention of the experiences as well as cognitively important or relevantenough for someone to continue the experience. The conclusion can come in many ways, but it must provide some sort ofresolution, whether through meaning or story or context or activity to makean otherwise enjoyable experience satisfactory. Often an experience that isengaging has no real end, leaving participants dissatisfied or evenconfused about the experience, emotions, or ideas, they just felt.Most technological experiences-including digital and, especially, onlineexperiences-have paled in comparison to real-world experiences and theyhave been relatively unsuccessful as a result. What these solutions requireis developers that understand what makes a good experience first, and thento translate these principles, as well as possible, into the desired mediumwithout the technology dictating the form of the experience[1].Problems solved by experience design professionals
1. Problems of organizational connection and communication Understanding how the organization relates to its internal andexternal constituents – people (employees, customers, investors, ect.) andorganizations (customers, suppliers, partners, competitors, ect.) – as wellas the technology and market environment. This creates business value By focusing on areas with the greatest potential, companies placesmarter bets, resulting in higher success rates, greater profit potential,most effective use of resources, greater cost savings, wiser technologychoises. Experience design uses this understanding to reveal businessopportunities. For example some technology, market or channel looksinteresting. How can we benefit? We have to do research and designstrategy. Than we need direction, step after that will be another research.Understanding mismatch between company’s offerings and customer’s feedback,expectations or behavior will ask another research. Experience design supports an organization ability to deliver thebrand experience. For example for the brand strategy we should inform aboutchoices about business partnership, investment priorities, competition andgrowth issues.
Experience design informs organizational priorities. Example:products or services that should get more or less emphasis – it is businessstrategy. Another example of business strategy is users or customers thatshould receive or not receive these products; the last one is marketsegments that should be pursued or ignored.2. Solving problems of understanding people, in ways useful for business Understanding people’s character, behavior and context – thepatterns and complexities of their daily lives. This creates business value. The result: higher probability offocusing on areas with greatest potential. Discover market space – unseenopportunities (set your competition on their heels – be first to market).For example: some project has potential, how can we maximize? We have doresearch – resolve mismatch between company’s offerings and customer’sfeedback, expectations or behavior; and interaction design – exploring thedialogue between products, people and context (physical, cultural,historical).
3. Solving problems of deciding what to make Conceive, envision and inform what products, services and communications to make. This creates business value. Increased acceptance and market penetration, increased effectiveness. You are more likely to make things that people want, and more likely to reach the right people with the right communication. Reduce misspent development costs by making it right the first time. Experience design helps companies make things right for each platform and device. Also it helps companies ensure they make the things for the right people. For example some device is not working, how can we fix it? We’re doing research. Another research for maximizing potential of potential products.
4. Solving problems of making things well Should be skilled at making products, services and communications useful, useable and desirable. Increased acceptance and market penetration. Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Increased brand reputation. Raise the number of repeat customers. Increased efficiency – greater rates of return. Plan and shape effective communication (internal an external). For
example some companies brand strategy – new brand creation and execution (brand revitalization, brand portfolio management, brand communication). Create content. Organize the content. For example: making structures that underline content and functionality, making accessible information that is high on one or more of the dimensions: volume, depth, plasticity and complexity. Design tools that mediate the communication between people. Define the interaction between systems and the users of those systems.For example: defining the behavior of artifacts, environments and systems(i.e. products); defining the form of products as it relates to theirbehavior and use; anticipating how the use will mediate human relationshipsand affect human understanding. Design all aspects of the form in detail. Make sure people can use it– evaluate and improve ease of learning and use.One of the most important things to us, and one of the key componentsof interactivity, is the ability to create things. While we don’t all thinkof ourselves as creative, in fact, we create things all of the time. Humansare inherently creative creatures and when we have a chance to create wefeel more satisfied and valuable. Also, the products of our creation have agreat deal of value to us, at least on a personal level.
References
1. Nathan Shedroff “Experience Design” 2. AIGA design and business publication. 3. Information design edited by Robert Jacobson