Oftentimes when discussing how design can influence behavior, we forget that in order for the surrounding design to create an outcome, the product must be quality.
‘Design’ is a term that can mean a plethora of things depending on the individual reading it. From a type of clothes (designer), to an intentional living space, to a model of thinking, and visual products. No matter the viewpoint, design at its core to each perspective is, “Does it fulfill its function, and have intentional form?”.
The purpose of design is to create products & places that people want to use and enjoy using as a byproduct of ease, experience, and functionality.
Given its purpose, how do we really know that it works? How can we validate that the researched, tested and designed piece actually influences the behavior of a user?
Oftentimes when discussing how design can influence behavior, we forget that in order for the surrounding design to create an outcome, the product must be quality. There is no amount of patchwork that can be done to design around a poor product or bad idea that would somehow fix it and make it desirable.
In order to create designs that influence, you must work with products that are validated in their quality. You can only stimulate purchasing desire, if there is a semblance of it in the first place, even if very small.
These questions and more will help you identify your product’s quality, and how to position surrounding messaging.
What’s one thing almost every single person needs in order to make a delicious meal outside of a stove and a pan?
Great ingredients, and seasoning. And when there’s so many seasoning brands to choose from, a brand that opts for creating blends that enhance the flavor of any food- your decision overwhelm on what to choose to cook with decreases. Chef crafted, loved by people of all ages, and accessible to most.
So how do you celebrate that with your customers, in hopes that you can influence their decision to purchase? Planning their interactions, and designing product pages that anticipate their needs and answer their questions..
Planning for Interactivity
It’s crucial to plan for how each user may interact with your website. Planning for different levels of interaction is crucial.
Educational, buying and exploring mindsets are all different, and represent a different flow for someone to take within a website. You have to be able to plan for this, and meet anticipated needs within each section flow, each nav menu interaction, each button, each page can meet one of their needs or help them identify where to go to meet their needs.
Product Pages
The product page for physical products is crucial for behavior influencing models. What surrounds the product on the page? What information is available and how will you present it to the user that allows them the clearest understanding with minimal questions?
Making sure we include callouts of product highlights, moving from what is it, what’s in it, how do I use it, why is it special, does someone else use it, and sneaky FAQs disguised as sales objection measurements.
Results
The result of a single website redesign changed their revenue, 10xing it within a month. By designing the experience surrounding their products with clarity, and planning for interactivity we were able to measure the impact and influence those sections had on user behavior.
(Microsoft clarity is a fantastic tool)
This is a website promoting a sci-fi survival game. How well do you think it does that just based on this hero moment alone?
One stand alone section upon landing on the website answers your questions about what the game is about, what the goal of the website is (buying the game) through color hierarchy and UX cues.
A great product is necessary for this level of design to work, quality products matched with intentional surrounding design influences decision making significantly.
Design is a question prompter and answerer simultaneously. It should ask you a question, then answer it in the next section.
Leaving you with one remaining question, “Is this product for me?”. Verses “What even is this product?”.
Make sure your designs ask the right questions, and you can influence behavior. Start with the product first, and build out.
