Creating the fun in functionality: How UX research can help create delightful experiences
Recently, I returned from a Caribbean cruise aboard Wonder of the Seas, and the ship's design struck me as a smart blend of function and fun. One example that stood out was how Royal Caribbean handled a design challenge around their outdoor pool spaces. Near the bottom of the water slides, where it’s crucial to direct people away for safety, they could have easily installed a typical functional fence with metal bars to block access. That would have served the purpose just fine. But instead, they opted for a colorful, engaging barrier that not only served the function of keeping people away from unsafe areas but also enhanced the visual and emotional experience of the space. This got me thinking: how can we apply the same thinking to UX design?
Balancing efficiency with emotional appeal in design
When we design products, digital or otherwise, it’s easy to focus solely on function. After all, our job is to solve problems. But what if we could solve problems and make people smile at the same time? The colorful barrier on Wonder of the Seas is a great example of how design can meet both functional needs and elevate the user’s emotional experience. Royal Caribbean didn’t just think about keeping people safe; they thought about making the environment feel playful and vibrant, which enhanced the overall cruise experience.
In our IT organization, the design philosophy is often, “We design serious things for serious people doing serious stuff.” This approach typically results in dry, no-nonsense, and—sometimes—boring designs. We take ourselves too seriously. But why not inject some fun and light-heartedness into our designs? An obvious place to start is with status messages—imagine a system error message that puts a smile on a user’s face—but the opportunities extend beyond that. The use of color, animations, and micro-interactions can also contribute to creating moments of delight without compromising functionality.
Addressing objections to “delight” in design
Some may argue that the term "delight" in design is frivolous or irrelevant in serious, business-focused environments. After all, people are here to get work done, not to be entertained. They might believe that focusing on delight distracts from the primary goal: efficiency. However, creating delightful moments doesn’t mean turning a professional tool into a game or a toy. It’s about providing an unexpectedly positive experience that enhances usability and satisfaction.
Delight can be as simple as an intuitive interaction that prevents frustration or an encouraging status message that lightens the mood in a moment of stress. It’s about exceeding user expectations, even in small ways. Far from detracting from productivity, these moments can improve it by reducing cognitive load, lowering frustration, and increasing user engagement. Delight fosters a positive emotional connection, which can lead to higher satisfaction and loyalty.
By understanding and addressing these concerns through UX research, we can create designs that both solve problems and make users feel more connected to the tools they use.
How UX research helps test for function and fun
To effectively design for both function and fun, UX research needs to evaluate two aspects:
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?? Efficiency (Function)
At the core, a design must work. Just like the colorful barrier must keep people out of restricted areas, our digital products need to ensure users can complete their tasks efficiently. Usability testing (or similar evaluation techniques) is essential here. By setting up tasks and scenarios, we can assess how well users can navigate, complete actions, or understand features. Metrics like task completion rates, time on task, and error rates help determine whether the design serves its functional purpose.
?? Emotion (Fun)
But function alone isn’t enough. Just as the colorful barrier makes the pool area feel more welcoming and exciting, we want our digital products to evoke positive emotions. Emotional impact can be tested through various techniques, including:
Fun doesn't mean frivolous
It’s important to note that injecting fun into design doesn’t mean we abandon professionalism or functionality. Status messages are a great place to start, but why stop there? We could explore using more vibrant color palettes, integrating playful animations (not Clippy), or even adding light-hearted elements to error messages that make the experience more human. It’s about creating moments that surprise and delight without derailing the user’s experience. Providing the unexpectedly positive outcome is what moves the needle. I want our users to say to themselves: "I didn't even know you were capable of delivering something so awesome!"
In an environment like ours, where we typically focus on “serious stuff,” there’s a real opportunity to rethink how we approach design. If Royal Caribbean can turn a functional barrier into something that enhances the experience, we too can find moments in our digital products where we can introduce delight while still getting the job done. Adding fun doesn’t dilute the seriousness of the work—it enhances the user’s emotional connection to the product.
Designing with delight in mind
At the end of the day, whether you’re designing a colorful barrier for a poolside or building an enterprise-level IT system, users are still people. They want designs that work, but they also want designs that make them feel like more than a cog in the system. As UX professionals, we have a responsibility to not only solve problems but to create experiences that users enjoy.
By using UX research to test both the efficiency and the emotional impact of our designs, we can ensure that the products we create are both functional and fun.
Image credit: Photo by?Tim Mossholder?on?Unsplash