Anmol: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Unthinkable Tech Podcast! The go-to source for the pulse on technology that’s shaping our future. I’m your host Anmol Satija, and today we are here to talk about how human emotions can shape user experiences.

You must have been to a restaurant where you just loved everything about it. The place looked great, the staff was friendly, and the food was awesome. You’d probably want to go back, right? That’s because it made you feel good. Well, it’s kind of the same with digital platforms. If they make you feel good, you’re going to like using them.

When we use digital platforms, we not only experience their function but also their emotional impact. This impact is intentionally designed by the creators who consider not only visual appeal but also emotional experiences.

In today’s episode, we will explore how these emotional responses are generated, how they influence our preferences and behaviors, and the potential consequences of effective and ineffective design.

We have with us Ravin Kumar, the UI/UX COE lead at Unthinkable Solutions. He has extensive experience in designing digital platforms and knows the nitty-gritty of making a digital product stand out. Thanks for joining us, Ravin.

Ravin: Thank you, Anmol, Glad to be here.

What is emotional design and why it’s critical in UX?

Anmol: Ravin, To get started on our discussion I’d love to delve into the concept of emotional design in user experience. Can you walk us through what it means and Why is it important to have an emotional connection with your user?

Ravin: We all know emotions, it’s pretty straightforward, and we know that the main defining moments in our lives are typically associated with some sort of emotional state, and we all have our ways of expressing emotion.
For example; When we gain the grades necessary to go to our favored school, we feel happy, and the other way around in off cases where we cannot.
So, talking about the process, Emotional design is the practice of creating products that evoke specific emotions in users. It’s about crafting an experience that goes beyond the mere functionality of a product to connect with users on a human level. Emotions play a pivotal role in decision-making, memory, and human interaction.

Designers can create more engaging, memorable, and effective user interfaces by leveraging them. Well’ It’s not just about cultivating positive emotions; it sometimes involves intentionally invoking negative emotions to achieve a specific user experience goal or to drive certain behaviors.

This approach can be used to convey seriousness, create urgency, a fear of anything, or to highlight the importance of an issue. For example, we recently used this construct in a project named Verrency. This product was designed to let the users know about their carbon footprints by analyzing their spending and activities.

So we have tried to trigger a negative set of emotions that is “Guilt”; to encourage them to offset their carbon footprints. But here is a take; The use of negative emotions in design should be done thoughtfully and ethically, ensuring that the end goal is always to benefit the user, whether it’s through promoting positive behavior change, drawing attention to important issues, or enhancing the overall effectiveness of the user experience.

Airbnb is another good example, They use emotional design to create a sense of belonging and community. Their interface is designed to inspire trust and safety, by showcasing user profiles, their reviews, and personal stories to make the experience more relatable and human.

So to conclude; it is really important to look into the emotional state of the end users, to connect with users on a human level and craft something that they love using it.

The balance between functional usability and emotional connection

Anmol: That’s fascinating, and the idea of using both positive and negative emotions in design is truly intriguing. It’s clear that emotional design has the power to create deeply impactful user experiences. Now, I’m curious, how do you strike that delicate balance between functional usability and emotional impact in your designs? Is it a constant tug-of-war, or are there specific strategies you employ to achieve both effectively?

Ravin: Alright, let’s see and try to understand the interplay between functionality and emotion in design. You know, it’s like walking a tightrope. On one side, you’ve got the solid ground of functional usability. This is where everything must be intuitive and straightforward. It’s about making sure that users can navigate effortlessly and get things done without a hitch. But then, there’s this whole other side of it—the emotional landscape.

Imagine you’re crafting a story through your design. You’re not just arranging pixels and code; you’re weaving a narrative that taps into the heart of the user experience. It’s about choosing the right colors, the right typography, and those tiny, almost magical interactions, that bring a smile to someone’s face. These little touches, they’re like the spice in a dish—they make all the difference, giving users a sense of achievement or maybe a moment of delight.

But here’s the trick— as we already discussed earlier, you’ve to keep everything in harmony. Too much spice and you’ll overwhelm the senses.
So, you test and tweak, watching how users react, making sure those emotional touches enhance the experience without overshadowing the core functionality.

Also, there is one more thing that I’d like to talk about that we always aim for universal design principles. By this, I mean that accessibility and usability checks are the ways to achieve this. It means every user should be considered while designing, Every user deserves to feel that emotional connection, regardless of how they interact with the product.

I’ll talk about an example here from some other project, it was a language-learning app. We focused on the mental state of the users and tried to make the overall journey of learning the app as intuitive as possible, with clear progress tracking and bite-sized lessons.

But you know what sets it apart is its use of playful characters and positive reinforcement. It cheers the users with each milestone, turning the daunting task of learning a new language into a series of rewarding moments. So we keep iterating, blending usability with emotion, making sure that our designs are not only easy to use but also resonate on a human level.

It’s a dance, really, between the mind and the heart, and when you find that rhythm, that’s where great design lives.”

Anmol: Wow, that was beautifully put. Totally convinced on the point that design isn’t just about function or aesthetics alone—it’s about that intricate balance between the two. And you totally hit the nail with that example of a language learning app, It is important to ensure that everyone can connect with the design on an emotional level. It’s a powerful reminder for all of us in the creative field that our work has to resonate with the heart as much as it makes sense to the mind.

Anmol: Now let’s consider a different aspect. You know, there could be a few unfavorable experiences that a user might face while using a digital platform. Can emotional design in any way mitigate the impact if not completely avoid it?

Ravin: Absolutely, emotional design can play a crucial role in not just mitigating unfavorable experiences but also in transforming them into opportunities for positive engagement. Let’s break this down a bit.

Firstly, emotional design is about crafting an experience that resonates with users on a personal level. It’s about understanding the psychology behind emotions and how they drive user behavior. Now, when users encounter issues or frustrations, it’s the emotional context of the UX that can either amplify their irritation or help soothe it.

For instance, let’s take error messages. No one likes to be told they’ve made a mistake, right? But it’s an inevitable part of interacting with digital platforms. A standard error message might just say, “Error 404: Page not found,” which is about as warm as a cold, leftover cup of coffee.

It’s technically informative but emotionally barren. Now, imagine if instead, the error page had a friendly mascot with a humorous or empathetic message like, “Whoops! Looks like this page took a day off. Let’s get you back on track.” Suddenly, the user’s frustration is met with humor,, which can defuse the situation and create a more positive association with the brand.

Another example is the way some apps handle loading times. A user’s patience can wear thin if they’re staring at a blank screen, waiting for content to load. But what if during that wait time, there’s an engaging animation, game or a fun fact displayed? Like Chrome browser does that game. This approach uses the waiting time to entertain or educate, which can transform a potentially negative experience into a moment of delight.

Another aspect would be personalization, which is a huge part of emotional design. When a platform can remember your preferences, suggest relevant content, or greet you by name, it creates a sense of being understood and valued. This connection can make users more forgiving and patient when things don’t go perfectly because they feel like they’re interacting with a system that knows them.

The psychological impact of color in UI design

Anmol: That’s an insightful perspective, I completely agree with you. The compelling aspect of your emotional design philosophy is its holistic nature. It’s right that design is not only about visuals or animations but also an experience that acknowledges the user’s feelings at every turn. It’s about creating a space where users feel understood, appreciated, and connected.

Now it leads me to another related topic that I find crucial in the design process – that is the color influence. As we know, colors have a profound impact on our emotions and can set the mood for an entire digital experience. So, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this. How critical is it for designers to consider the influence of color when crafting digital platforms? And how do these color choices impact the response and behavior of the audience?

Ravin: Color influence is absolutely fundamental in the realm design, especially when we’re crafting digital platforms. It’s like the silent language of our digital experiences, speaking directly to our emotions and subconscious.
You see, every color has its own psychological impact and significance, a kind of emotional weight that can drive how we feel and act without us even realizing it.

For designers, this means that choosing the right color palette isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about effectively communicating the essence of the platform and guiding user behavior. Take, for instance, Green color, It’s often associated with growth, renewal, and health.

That’s why you’ll see it dominating the branding of many environmentally conscious companies or health and wellness application. It’s not just a pretty shade; it’s a strategic decision to evoke a specific emotional response from the audience.

On the other hand, a vibrant color like red can evoke excitement, urgency, or even caution. It’s great for grabbing attention, which is why it’s commonly used for call-to-action buttons or sale announcements. At the same time, we should use it too carefully, as it can become overwhelming or create anxiety.
When we’re talking about color, we should talk about accessibility.

High-contrast color schemes make content more readable for everyone, including those with visual impairments. So, thoughtful color choices can ensure that a digital platform is welcoming to a broader audience. Also, cultural context can’t be ignored. Colors carry different meanings in different societies, so when a digital platform is intended for a global audience, designers must be particularly sensitive to these nuances to avoid unintended messages or responses.

Overall, color is a powerful tool in shaping user experience. It can attract, engage, repel, or even influence conversion rates and user retention. For designers, understanding color psychology and its impact on the audience isn’t just critical; it’s a responsibility. With every hue selected, we’re not just painting a picture; we’re setting the emotional tone for the entire user journey on the digital platform.

Anmol: It’s very insightful. I think what really resonates with me is the idea that color isn’t just a visual element, but a psychological one as well. It’s not just about what looks good, but about what feelings those colors evoke and how they align with the brand’s message and goals.

I also appreciate you bringing up the importance of cultural sensitivity in design. It’s a powerful reminder that our digital platforms need to be inclusive and respectful of all users.

The role of cognitive psychology in design decisions

Anmol: Now this brings me to an even broader consideration within the realm of UI/UX. We’ve touched on the psychological impact of color, but let’s expand on that. So according to you, What role does psychology play in your overall design decisions, and how do you go about determining which emotional triggers to implement in your interfaces?

Ravin: When it comes to incorporating psychology into design, it’s about tapping into a few principles that drive human behavior.

Principles such as the Gestalt law,, which tell us how people perceive order in chaos, or the concept of cognitive load, which reminds us to keep things simple, just to avoid overwhelming the user.

A designer must know which emotional triggers will work together to create the desired experience. In order to identify these triggers, we should start by defining the emotional journey, that we would want the users to take.

The main construct designers can use for this is Empathizing with the end users. Its like putting yourself into the user’s shoes to understand their motivations, fears, and desires. This helps you craft an experience that resonates on a personal level.

Once you have a grip on those basic emotional states of the end users, you can start tailoring the experience to meet their needs and connect with them emotionally.

Everything from the color palette to the shape of buttons can evoke some specific set of feelings, they can drive decisions, and lead to actions.

We just talked about color psychology. Let’s take the example here, we recently have designed a banking app. Money is a sensitive and personal matter for most people… They need to feel confident that their finances are safe and also easily manageable through the app. Hence, while designing the app, the primary psychological goal was to evoke a sense of security and trust.
And we know that color plays an important role in defining the psychology of a product.

Taking inspiration from color psychology, we have chosen blue color and have used it wisely blending with the main branding color. Why blue? Because; blue is often associated with trust, security, and stability. Well, that’s not it, we have carefully used very empathetic language throughout the app to create warmth, a sleek sans-serif typography to make it cleaner, and have focused on some other critical use cases to create that trust and warmth.

In conclusion, psychology isn’t just a part of the design process; it’s the foundation upon which all our design decisions are built. By understanding and thoughtfully applying emotional triggers, We aim to create interfaces that not only serve a functional purpose but also connect with users.

Anmol: Righly said Ravin. I think it’s about the subtle design choices that can make a world of difference in how users feel and behave.

Emotional design in conversational interfaces like ChatGPT

Anmol: Moving further I would like to talk about the critical advancement that is becoming more and more relevant these days and that is conversational interfaces, how do you see emotional design evolving in these contexts?

Ravin: Let’s first understand what is a conversational platform.
These are applications that can mimic human-like conversations either through text or voice. As these conversational interfaces become more prevalent, emotional design is entering into an exciting chapter. Because, In these products, the interaction that we’re having with it, It’s like we ask a question and they answer it promptly. It’s just that it feels a bit monotonous.

For example Verbee… Verbee is our indigenously built Text-based conversational application that leverages ChatGPT technology but with a more refined experience designed to elevate the emotional edge.

Now, Let’s talk about how have we tried to make it more human using design specifically. There are a few feature sets that we implemented.
So, Consider a normal conversation between 2 humans, we don’t generally set the context, again and again and this feature is inspired by the same idea. We provided an option to define the context of the conversation so that the AI model remembers the context all the time and does not feel artificial. This helped us make it more natural to human experiences.

Another feature is to provide nested questions to keep the context clear and giving user the control to seek information from multiple dimensions.

Future of emotionally intelligent AI in UX

The philosophy behind providing these features was that when we interact with these applications, we’re not just looking for information; we also are seeking understanding and companionship.

The AI’s ability to respond with empathy, humor, and a touch of personality makes the conversation feel more natural and engaging. This is emotional design at work, where the AI uses sentiment analysis to gauge the user’s mood and adjusts its responses accordingly.

In the future, I see emotional design in conversational interfaces becoming more sophisticated. Imagine Verbee not only understands your words but also picks up on small details in your language that provide a peek into your emotional state.

It could provide you with more emotionally soothing answers if you were feeling down, or boost your morale in off scenarios. They definitely will be capable of detecting and adapting to these complex emotional cues, leading to more nuanced and supportive interactions.

Anmol: I’m impressed with the detailed explanation of emotional design in conversational interfaces, especially the push to make a text-based system like Verbee more emotionally aware. The move towards making these interactions more dynamic and human is fascinating, suggesting we’re nearing a point where digital companions can grasp both the substance and sentiment of our conversations.

So To sum it up, emotional design is not an afterthought rather it’s a necessity for creating engaging digital platforms. It’s what turns an ordinary experience into an extraordinary one. And in an increasingly digital world, that’s not just nice to have; it is what will set successful platforms apart.

And with that, we’ve come to the end of a truly engaging and thought-provoking discussion. I’d like to extend my heartfelt thank you to our guest Ravin Kumar for sharing his expertise and insights into the evolving world of user experience.

Ravin: Thank you Anmol, It was a wonderful experience talking about emotions in design and how we tap onto a few UX laws and the psychology behind it. I am eager to see how these minute yet crucial aspects in design will evolve in the future. I believe, we can anticipate a seamless integration of design elements that are so intuitive, that they mirror human behavior and thought patterns.

Anmol: Surely Ravin we have an exciting future ahead. Last but not least, a big thank you to our listeners, for tuning in. If your are looking to ramp up your design game for digital platforms speak to our experts at Unthinkable Solutions. For more details visit our website. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the Unthinkable tech podcast, so that you never miss out on the latest innovations in the technology landscape. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Keep listening.