The 10 Fundamental Needs in Human-Centric Experience Design

by Eliot Mannoia // December 10, 2023
viewing time: 5 minutes

© Eliot Mannoia

How do you create memorable and influential experiences for employees or customers? We use principles of psychology to put people at the center of the entire digital transformation. Making your company more successful.

Our lives are changing faster than ever. New technologies, AI, innovations, or wider macro-factors like remote working.

To ensure that we adapt to these changes in a human-centric way, we must consider how our behaviour, expectations and experiences are affected by these changes.

To support and promote human-centricity, we have created a framework that is based on fundamental psychological needs.

We call it the 10 psychological dimensions of experience architecture.

Why architecture? Because an experience without intentional design is like a journey without a map or a purpose.

Therefore, experience architecture with the consideration of key psychological needs will ensure optimal experiences.

Foundational Dimensions

Trust (Incl. Credibility and Ethics) It all starts with trust, the foundation for any interaction we have with another human, product, or service. Can I trust the doctor with a given procedure? What about the car that we’re buying, will it keep us safe? Or the small things, like will this umbrella keep us dry? Users’ perception of trustworthiness and credibility significantly influences their experience. Factors such as transparency, values, security, reliability, privacy, data protection, social proof, and reputation contribute to building trust. Designing interfaces that inspire confidence and credibility will enhance the overall user experience.

Emotions What about emotions? Think of the powerful emotions that Apple products stir in their customers. There is passion, excitement, joy, pride, to name a few. Positive emotions can drive greater loyalty, forge stronger relationships, and elevate an experience significantly. Plays a significant role in user experience. Positive emotions, such as joy, delight, and satisfaction, contribute to a favourable experience, while negative emotions, such as frustration, confusion, and annoyance, can detract from the user experience. Designing with empathy and considering emotional responses will create more engaging and enjoyable experiences.

Functional Dimensions

Perception We then have perception which can include the tactile experience, how a product feels in your hands. Or the colours or fonts used on the packaging. Or other senses like how a hotel reception smells. These first impressions can quickly shape opinions, whether desirable or undesirable. Involves how users perceive and interpret the visual, auditory, and haptic elements of a product or interface. It includes factors such as aesthetics, visual hierarchy, colour schemes, typography, sound design, and tactile feedback. Well-designed and visually appealing interfaces can positively influence user experience. Ensure that cultural sensitivities and inclusiveness are considered to accommodate diverse user backgrounds.

Expectations To improve trust and the overall experience, we need to consider if all expectations are met – will I get what I ordered online when I expect it? In a world where more and more is available to us on demand, how are our expectations changing? Refers to elements or experiences that align with users’ prior expectations or established conventions when they interact with a product, service, or touchpoint. Expected aspects provide a sense of familiarity, consistency, and reliability. Meeting and effectively communicating users’ expectations can create a feeling of comfort and trust, contributing to a positive and satisfying experience. This includes adaptability and the ability to evolve with user needs and technological advancements.

Accessibility How accessible is a given touchpoint for your employees or customers? Are you providing an inclusive experience? Are all needs being met? Focuses on ensuring that products and interfaces are usable and inclusive for individuals with disabilities or impairments. Considering accessibility dimensions such as visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive accessibility ensures that a wider range of users can have a positive user experience. Consider using accessibility standards and guidelines (like WCAG) to ensure compliance and effectiveness in accessibility design.

Certainty Providing certainty in a given touchpoint for a product, service, or process can have a calming effect on people. As uncertainty is closely linked with fear, which is a powerful emotion. How can we reduce uncertainty and reassure our stakeholders? Is the plane delayed for 20 minutes or 3 hours? Where can I get support? How long does my warranty last? Providing clear and precise information, predictable outcomes, consistency, and reliable performance can meet or exceed expectations. It builds trust and reduces user anxiety, leading to a positive and reassuring experience.

Simplicity The next dimension is simplicity. Each step may be user-friendly but perhaps there are too many steps? Think about online stores that optimized and became more user-friendly, and how Amazon still made it even simpler by introducing the one-click buy innovation. Simplicity, or cognitive load, refers to the mental effort required by users to process and understand information or perform tasks. A high cognitive load can hinder usability and result in a negative user experience. Reducing cognitive load through clear information architecture, effective organization of content, progressive disclosure, and appropriate use of visual cues can enhance the user experience.

Usability Accessibility is closely linked to usability, ensuring a user-friendly interaction for all and driving performance of desired results. Usability refers to the ease with which users can interact with a product or system to achieve their goals. It includes factors such as learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. A product that is easy to use and understand enhances the overall user experience. Iterative design and continuous user testing are key to continually improving usability.

Enhancing Dimensions

Engagement Engagement is a fun dimension where we can use the powers of storytelling or gamification to engage with our stakeholders, building deeper and more meaningful relationships. Refers to the level of user involvement, interest, and enjoyment during interaction with a product or system. It includes factors such as interactivity, feedback, gamification, storytelling, and personalization. Engaging experiences captivate users, hold their attention, and create a deeper connection with the product or service. Here also consider the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in driving user engagement.

Surprise Reducing unpleasant surprises and creating memorable positive surprises can boost satisfaction and drive word-of-mouth marketing. Small examples include getting a hot towel or a warm cookie at a hotel reception. Maybe new employees receive free merchandise when they start. There are many great examples here. What other random acts of kindness or humour can you incorporate to elevate the experience and improve your competitiveness? Surprise refers to elements or experiences that are unforeseen or unexpected when users interact with a product, service, or touchpoint. Surprising aspects can capture attention, spark curiosity, and increase user interest. They contribute to making the user experience exciting, memorable, and unforgettable by providing a certain degree of surprise and innovation. However, the unexpected can also have a negative impact by causing confusion or frustrating users if it doesn’t align with their expectations or needs.

Methodology: The importance and weighting of each dimension will depend on the industry; and if you are trying to improve the customer experience – by looking at a product, service or post-purchase support. Or if you are looking to optimise employee experiences.

We suggest evaluating each dimension, like going through a checklist to ensure that key human needs are considered. Then explore how new technologies and AI solutions could be used to better meet human needs.

It’s about digital humanism. And considering human needs first, and then technological solutions will ensure greater success.

We are confident that doing so will improve the experiences of your employees and customers, leading to a greater overall performance of your business.

We’re your digital psychologists and we look forward to hearing from you!

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