I'm preparing for a second meeting this week where I have been asked to explain our design process as it relates to Experience Design. This is important considering the current economic situation, companies are concerned about their ROI. However, more importantly the question becomes what is your [ROC]Return on Creativity when it comes to investing in your company's marketing campaigns?
We are now living in a Conceptual Age, first explained by Alen Greenspan as "The growth of the conceptual component of output has brought with it accelerating demands for workers who are equipped not simply with technical know-how, but with the ability to create, analyze, and transform information and to interact effectively with others." New findings in the neuro-movement such as neuroaesthetics and neuromarketing has confirmed we are living in the Conceptual Age of the 21st century. We now have quantitative data through science that can enhance design and marketing strategies; additionally, it is becoming obvious that "There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does" Daniel Pink.
GET THE MESSAGE
We know that we only perceive a fraction of what is going on in the world from studies done related to "change-blindess". Additionally, a recent report by NeuroFocus explains, "We have found that 75% of all content - not just advertisements - is not neurologically optimal". Too much information can be sensory overload and the information is filtered. So, best measures for getting the message is to keep it simple and stand out.
SET THE STAGE
A standard formula for information processing can be 3 units of 7 (such as your phone number or social security no.) for retaining information in short-term memory. Studies have indicated that a clear and simple message generates more engagement by end-users and that an end-users "attention and retention is strongest at the beginning and end of a message". (Social-Brain.com) The Left-brain keeps us on task and helps us move about the world swiftly and it takes some shortcuts to get us where we need to go. John Medina, author of Brain Rules, reports, "Vision trumps all other senses. Visual processing doesn't just assist in the perception of our world. It dominates the perception of our world." Having a better understanding about how the brain processes information can enhance the desired response. Simply placing text or content on the right side of an image is one effective way to simplify the processing of information since the Left-brain processes analytical information while the Right-brain is best at interpreting images.
GET ENGAGED
Creativity is not always synonymous with effectiveness since an emotional side of a design may be more critical to a product's success than its practical elements. it is better to understand how your message will be perceived. How will your end-user interact with your message? Telling a story is the best way to get your end-user engaged in your product/message/design. You don't need to write a lengthy story, but develop the visual and contextual information so that it resonates emotionally with your end-user. A person looking for a drill bit isn't really looking for a drill bit, they're looking for a hole.
CREATE AN EXPERIENCE
How will your design be used, handled or experienced? Is your design universal? Understanding how your design will translate into function is a key to the end-user's experience. An early example comes from the early 1950's when the Betty Crocker Company introduced it's ready-made-cake mix. Just add water. The product failed when it first hit the supermarket shelves. A study conducted by market researchers found that "The customer felt no sense of accomplishment, no involvement with the product. It made her feel useless, especially if somewhere her aproned mom was still whipping up cakes from scratch" (Donald A. Norman, Emotional Design). The solution to the problem was simple - have the cook add an egg to the mix and "thereby putting pride back into the activity"
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