Chapter 4: Emotional Engagement

One of the first things the author mentions is that there are some instances that create lasting impressions. Good or bad. I had never really thought about was the impact that surprise has on our emotions. I could relate to the author when he mentioned the hearing-a-song-on-the-radio example, because I always put my iPod on shuffle when I’m listening to it, but I never thought about the “surprise” impact. Nor did I consider using that same appeal when designing.

The next things the author brings up is that the anticipation is important as well. Although, I agree that this creates a sense of excitement, I’m not sure I understand how the author means to use it in design for websites…maybe Twitter could pull it off, but it’s also a one of the most popular website of the time. That’s the only thing I would disagree with.

I like that the author describes the natural reactions to these surprises and how to use them to the designers advantage without “deceiving” or “tricking” the viewer. Something I also liked was–later on–when the author suggests saying “you may” instead of “you must”. I know from experience that if people are forced to change, they will react negatively.

I also thought it was comforting to hear that you won’t always get it right the first couple times, but that it’s ok. “When you hit your mark, the benefits are big.”

Originally posted at Brought to you by Brooke

Chapter 2 – Designing for Emotion

This chapter talks about the emotions we have as human beings. It starts off by emphasizing the fact that humans are born with emotions, whereas other traits like language and courtesy are developed over time. The author also explains that human nature is reflected behind every aspect of design.
One thing I had never thought about before reading this chapter are the physical traits that draw adults to young babies. “The proportions of a baby’s face–large eyes, small nose, pronounced forehead–are a pattern our brains recognize as very special.” As a designer, this is very helpful to know when creating characters. The author explains that by using the principle of “baby-face bias” when creating a mascot, the designer can create a better connection with the audience.
It was also interesting to learn that the human mind picks up on the golden ratio, even in web design. The only other time I have heard of this concept, was when I took Geometry at 15. I had no idea web designers took it so seriously.
Although the chapter has a lot of interesting information, one thing I disagree with is Donald Norman’s argument that beauty improves cognitive abilities such as creativity. I agree that beauty makes people feel good, but I feel that people think more creatively when presented with an empty canvas… For example, if I see ugly interior decor, I immediately start thinking of ways to make the place seem nicer that would appeal to my taste and personal creativity. If I were to think of ways to arrange an already pretty room, my creativeness would be “blocked” by the beauty and would probably not be able to think of a different arrangement.

Originally posted at Brought to you by Brooke

While going through  this chapter, the author mentions that in today’s world there is a lack of human connection through industrial manufacturing. This sparked my interest as I had never thought of designing this way. He expanded his position by discussing how web designing in the form of art can build a human connection towards a target audience through creative thinking. These ideas helped me bridge the gap between the way I have always perceived designing and emotional designing.

There was nothing I could find that I disagreed with in the chapter, however, I did not understand the need to discuss Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in as much depth as the author did. The author could have touched on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs while going into more detail over the remap for the needs for the users. One website is not going to be expected to fulfill the basic human needs of the user other than the desires mentions in the remap.

It was nice to think of the big picture when it comes to web designing and how it has progressed through time and creativity. Ironically, we have found that more success comes with more personality and creativity than representing that of the modern machine. It seems like the so-called “better” way of doing things would be easier and more fun to execute than displaying their material in the same way as every other company.

Of course, the chapter mentions it is important to continue to think about the reliability and usability of the website in order for users to navigate quickly. But the main idea from this chapter is that websites should be useable and exciting in order to create positive memory and continued use.

Originally posted at Brought to you by Brooke