Delightful vs. Usable

What makes a product delightful? First, it has to meet the minimum requirement of actually being usable. Meaning, it helps users accomplish their goals.

Once you’ve got that nailed, you can look at the grey areas, like, is it fun to use your product? Is there anything uniquely pleasant about interacting with it? Do you walk away from these interactions thinking, “Wow, that was easy!” Or “That didn’t take as long as I thought it would.”

If you can answer “yes” to these questions, then you’ve got a delightful product. One that creates a positive emotional connection with users.

Designing for delight isn’t about adding features or sticking to a rigid methodology. It’s a multi-layered process that starts with a clear understanding of your users’ goals.

adapted from “Essential UX Techniques For Creating Delightful Products,” a Virtual Seminar by Christine Perfetti