The Impact of Emotion on Products

Ignoring User Emotions in Software

I once worked for a software company where the emotions of the users were completely ignored. The company mocked the idea that "it’s never the user's fault, but always the product’s fault" — meaning that if a user struggles to use the product, it hasn’t been designed well enough for them.

The Negative Cycle of a Bad Product

Users literally went through the following cycle, and nobody (except the product design team, which was forced not to change anything) cared.

The diagram (👇) for the described software begins with a complex and inaccessible product. Using this product affects how the user feels. Negative emotions are triggered because the user cannot achieve their desired goals, searches the UI for a long time without success, and generates errors. This, in turn, affects how the user behaves. In the case of the software, the user begins to avoid it, and instead of continuing the cycle healthily by influencing the product with their behavior, the result is an unused product.

Positive Emotions: The Apple Watch Example

The situation is entirely different in the next example. (👇)

A fitness tracker, the Apple Watch, had a new social feature added. Friends of the user are informed about their friends' achievements and can respond with text messages.

This feature again influences the user's emotions. The user receives funny and encouraging messages from friends, making them feel good and connected. This, in turn, influences their behavior. The user starts supporting their friends, which brings them additional joy. This affects the product. It is no longer just a tracker; it is a tool to stay in touch with friends and give them positive feelings. This is one of the features that ensure the product remains relevant and continues to be actively used.