Presented by Alina Senderzon at the 2013 Front Porch Front End Web Developer Conference in Dallas, Texas.

@asenderzon

Designing products

Best products create lasting connections

You can design for connections

1. Familiarity Bias

• Best new things use familiar patterns
• familiar patterns evoke trust
• make it easy to get to know you
• unfamiliar patterns create confusion

2. Relative Value

• comparing is easier than appraising
• Options make us feel in control
• too many options create choice paralysis
• things that are limited have more value

3. Bandwagon

• we are easily swayed by behaviors and opinions of others
• strength in numbers
• bandwagon can also work against you

4. Authority

• authority can trump our own beliefs
• be strategic with placement

5. Faith in Aesthetics

• We first judge the site by its appearance, then its content
• attractive things appear more valuable
• aesthetics affect usability

6. Achievement

• competition is great, but we like to win
• We like challenges that are sort of challenging
• we appreciate rewards more when we don’t expect them
• we like showing it off

7. Zeigarnik Effect

• When we become engaged in a story, we have to see how it ends
• we generally like to finish what we start
• the key is getting someone to start something
• varying the length of steps keeps us motivated
• sometimes a guilt trip works best

8. Self-Expression

• we are as unique as a snowflake
• we perceive things that we own or create as more valuable
• find ways to make the experience feel personalized
• keep personalization options small

9. Surprise and delight

• we remember key moments in our experiences
• validate the lows