For an app or software product to be successful, users have to actually use it. That’s why we see behavioral design as the future of UX and why we’re calling behavioral design the “future of UX” for apps, software, and services.
Behavioral Design
It’s a branch of scientific research that aims to answer what makes people do certain things, applied within a tech framework
- In UX (user experience) world, it’s considering what drives a user to make a certain decision
- UX behavioral design tries to define what motivates a user and what rewards or validation are they seeking, before ever developing an MVP or prototype
Behavioral Design Examples
Fitbit: Remind users to move around when a phone or watch has remained still for too long
- Adidas: “Creator Club”: As you spend more money on Adidas.com or in-store, those dollars transfer as points to the club members
- Mint: A celebration on payday encourages people to log in and see where their bank account now sits
Behavioral Design Principles
Make a process as easy and frictionless as possible
- Provide a cue to change a user’s behavior and guide them through an action
- Social Proof: People feel legitimized in their decision when they see others making the same one
- Satisficing: Users will sacrifice “perfection” for an easy choice presented obviously and quickly
- Ostrich Effect: People who have fallen out of a habit or aren’t achieving their desired outcomes typically don’t like to hear about it
- Safe Searching: Users need to feel like they can learn the app without suffering any unwanted consequences
Two Approaches to UX Design
User interviews
- Behavioral design best practices
- Software should be a delight for target users to interact with.
- How can designers and developers ensure that software is a joy to use and actually resonates?
- There are two primary ways: user interviews and behavioral designBest practices
Why Behavioral Design is the Future of UX
People are notoriously poor at self-reporting what they want
- By neglecting behavioral design, developers are working with one hand tied behind their back
- The future of UX is closely linked to behavioral design
- Having these principles to guide development will help software stay competitive in a fast-paced field
Why UX Behavioral Design Works
Behavioral design is based on understanding from behavioral science
- Developers can build a UX around proven explanations of why people do what they do so that the software is enjoyable for people to use
- They can take advantage of patterns of behavior to create software experiences that drive increased usage
