How To Think About Delighting Users
User delight is defined by the Nielsen Group as “any positive emotional affect that a user may have when interacting with a device or interface.”
Delight is the last, sometimes unattainable, frontier of product development. This is reflected in Aarron Walter’s ‘Hierarchy of User Needs’. As product managers, we likely spend the bulk of our time focusing on the base of the pyramid, and rightfully so. But achieving the status of a ‘pleasurable’ can often be the key differentiation between good and great products and companies.
I want to break down a few ways in which I’ve seen products introduce delight to the user’s experience.
Anticipate User Needs
A functional, reliable and usable product allows me to get from point A to point B. But getting from point A to point B may not always be a straightforward path for the user. Products can take the extra steps to ensure that they are able to guide users to get to where they need to go.
I recently stumbled on a wonderful experience using the Airbnb app. I was driving to my host’s house and realized that I needed to look up directions. I launched the app and lo-and-behold it anticipated that I would need to see those directions if I was using the app on the day of my check-in. They provided me a shortcut to the helpful information they anticipated I was searching for.
I would have been able to get to this information by going to the app, opening the Trips tab, clicking on my reservation and then finding the directions. But Airbnb saved me the hassle, which was especially nice since I was traveling already.
Add Surprise
Taking ordinary or routine actions and adding a new, unexpected twist can also be a recipe for delight. Nir Eyal, author of Hooked, would classify this as ‘Variable Reward’. This can be a tricky balance to strike — if the surprise is too extreme or difficult to discover it may not achieve the desired emotional effect. But there are plenty of examples of hit products that have done this right.
Tinder famously popularized the ‘swipe right’ action, which made helped to make their dating platform feel casual and fun. (random note — TIL ‘swipe right’ has been added to the Oxford dictionary!)
Snapchat lenses is another delightful feature that brings surprise and delight to users. Once users discover how to add the filters and browse through the different options (which are changing all the time) it makes the act of taking a selfie infinitely more fun.
Use Flattery
This idea of making your users feel special is certainly not new. Products have incorporated badges, likes and other mechanics to drive engagement and dopamine rushes. But something as simple as updating your user’s on their progress can trigger similar feelings and emotions.
Grammarly does a great job of this with their weekly progress report emails. The email lets me know how my writing has performed relative to other users, which makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something.
What are some other examples of product delight that you’ve experienced? Leave a comment below or tweet @alexpedi.
