Sex, Drugs and Infinite ScrollThe Biology Behind Engaging Design

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Popular is not always factual.

Don’t believe everything you see on the web.

Quick Story

Biology is an exquisite designer.

The Problem

How do we design for an ambiguous future?

“What does UX look like in the future?”

Wrong question.

“What about human biology helps us design great user experiences for tomorrow?”

100% of your customers are human.

Product Innovation is Evolutionary, but not in the way we were taught.

#1

Adaptation happens in response to pressure.

Don’t wait for environmental stress, go create it yourself

Cycles of near wins that lead to more attempts.

Lesson from biology: Innovation happens when you foster an environment of adaptation.

Biology Drives Our State, not the technology.

#2

“Movement is the only thing you have to affect the world around you”

Daniel Wolpert

All tech starts out big and clunky but becomes more mobile.

#convCon @freshtilledsoil

#convCon @freshtilledsoil

Mobile is a biological state, not a technology.

Lesson from biology: It’s not mobile first, it’s mobile forever.

Innovations Feel Like Superpowers, even when disguised as a phone.

#3

Source: The Telegraph

An interface is a just another conversation.

“I need a ride”“Where are you?”

“Over here”“Cool, I’m on my way”

“So how did it go?”

You Ride Share App

Top 5 apps of 2016 are all social or messaging apps.

Echo, Google Home, speech recognition, AR, VR, AI, adaptive UI and data analytics.

Lesson from biology: The best products extend, enhance or amplify our biological powers.

Specialize to Exploit New Niches, but remember context is everything.

#4

We’re always on, but not always on the same device.

brains

No substitution effect as new products are added.

Different context means solving the same problem with different designs.

__________ isn’t the same for all apps.

Shopping

__________ isn’t the same for all apps.

Notifications

__________ isn’t the same for all apps.

Navigation

Experiences and technology are becoming more specific and filling in the niches.

Lesson from biology: Experiences might produce a similar outcome, but their designs will be different.

Humans Are Emotional Messes, and that’s a good thing.

#5

Your brain on drugs.

Tracking workout data is the tip of the iceberg.

Dopamine: Notifications lead to feeling good.

Oxytocin: Social validation leads to sense of belonging.

Serotonin: Recognition leads to feelings of pride.

Serotonin: Recognition leads to feelings of pride.

Brain and body chemistry drives emotions and emotions drive behavior.

Amygdala

Neocortex

Emotions are required to activate decision making.

If you’re not assisting your users to ‘feel’ their experience, you’re not helping them.

People use your product because it makes them feel something.

Make someone feel good and you win…

Make someone feel good in front of others and you win big time.

Case Study: Car safety and “soccer mom’s” perceptions

Source: Kelly Blue Book

What does safety look like to the customer?

BMW forgot to ask what safety looked and felt like to their customers.

Lesson from biology: The best products make humans feel more ______

What can biology teach us about creating products for the future?

Don’t wait for the crisis. Force positive adaptation by constantly seeking feedback.

#1

Build for humans, not tech. Develop a product roadmap that allows humans to be humans.

#2

Amplify current powers. Create superpowers by extending our senses.

#3

Specialize for your niche. Context is everything. Get out of the building and witness.

#4

Make humans feel. Build products that make humans feel smart, safe, recognized, and loved.

#5

Final Thought

Warning: Please try this at home

Thank you!

richard@freshtilledsoil.com @rmbanfield @freshtilledsoil

www.productleadershipbook.com