Friction Causes Chafing

We've grown to expect a certain level of frictionless, intuitive design in our lives. Everything from our phones to our technology at work has become easier and more intuitive over the years. It's a simple formula - the more intuitive something is, the better it works on a fundamental level. And design matters - just look at UI / UX (user interface/experience). When things aren't easy or don't work well - we can feel an innate sense of frustration because there's some sort of friction that makes it harder than it should be. Simple example - you go to your phone's home screen, unlock it (which takes less than 5 seconds), then open an app like @Twitter or @Instagram without any problem whatsoever... no weird messages telling you something went wrong -- just an instantaneous experience where everything works as expected.

Software that works without any input from us has become the norm, and it's easy to forget that we're not always getting exactly what we want out of an app or website. Why should we have to type in our passwords, find our way through menus, or wait for something to load?

There are times when humans benefit from a little friction—when we're driving or typing on a laptop keyboard—but this is often overlooked in tech design. We tend not to think much about where or when friction is useful; instead focusing on reducing it wherever possible so people can accomplish tasks faster (and thus spend more time doing other things). In other words, friction-free design is not the ideal, but intuitive design is.

The more intuitive something is, the better it works on a fundamental level.

You know what makes a product intuitive? If you can use it right away, without having to learn anything. This means that it's easy to pick up and understand, but also that when you use it again and again, you don't have to constantly be thinking about how things work.

Intuitive design is better because it's easier on your brain. Intuitive design is better because you can do more with less effort. Intuitive design is better because it makes more sense—and therefore gets out of your way so that all of the hard work happens automatically in your own mind (or other body parts).

And design matters - just look at UI / UX

Design isn't just about making things look nice. It's about making them easier to use, more intuitive and user-friendly, more accessible and usable by a wider audience.

Effortless design is good for users, and it's good for business. That's why we should all be looking to make our products as intuitive as possible, whether they're physical or digital.

Here's how you can apply this idea in your own product or service:

• Be sure your website, product, solution, or service works just as well on mobile devices, where appropriate, as on desktop ones. Cross-platform and OS compatibility are crucial considerations.
• Educate customers about the benefits of using your product/service before asking them to purchase it.
• Use intuitive icons and buttons that people can understand without having to read a lengthy explanation first. Intuitive design relies heavily on consistency of form (icon shapes), color, and placement (where on the page or app an icon appears).

For example: you go to your phone's home screen, unlock it and simply open an app. No problem. Nothing weird or difficult about it. You do it all day long.

But what if I tell you that some apps will ask you to “sign in” before they open? Or worse yet, what if they don't even let you use them unless you're logged in first? This is perhaps the most common type of friction, which is also known as a barrier to entry or user experience (UX) friction—and it isn’t good for business, unless that friction is a valued feature (such as banking security)!

Think about what it would be like if you had to click off an advertisement every time you wanted to do something as simple as unlocking your phone or opening an app. A small bit of extra friction -- which no one wants -- that would make your experience more clunky and difficult and frustrating, right?

It's the same way with a lot of apps: They're designed to be easy-to-use, but they don't take into account all the different ways people use them (especially on mobile). Yes, they may have been designed with a specific user in mind who uses their device in a certain way—but what about everyone else?

Artificial intelligence is poised to disrupt our way of life in so many ways because people want things to be easy and intuitive -- we're social animals who thrive on connections but also expect very little friction in our lives, especially online or with technology.

Friction is bad business -- so remove it from AI

Friction is bad business, and it's even worse in the 21st century. With AI becoming more prominent in everyday life, frictionless design will be key to ensuring that people can enjoy their experiences with AI. Intuitive design makes things easier for users, and it's all about creating a connection between them and what they want to accomplish. Everyone wants an experience that is easy, intuitive, and user friendly; this translates well into the world of technology when you're designing your app or web page.

Conclusion

It's generally agreed that friction is bad for business. The best way to reduce friction is by focusing on intuitive design. I hope this article has given you a small understanding of what that means. Remember: no one wants extra steps in their lives, so keep things simple!