Maximize the impact of UX design with persuasive design patterns

When we interact with a digital interface, our choices and actions are often influenced by subtle, strategically placed design elements. These elements are not only there to improve the user experience, but also to persuade and encourage specific behaviors. This is where persuasive design patterns come into play.

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Understanding persuasive design patterns

The persuasive design patterns (or in French, persuasive design patterns) are design techniques used to influence user behavior. Inspired by principles of psychology and behavior, these techniques aim to encourage users to take actions desired by the designers. For example, when an e-commerce site uses “scarcity” indicators to highlight time-limited offers, this often encourages users to buy more quickly, for fear of missing an opportunity.

In contrast to persuasive design patterns, there are so-called “dark patterns”. These design techniques are used in deceptive and manipulative ways to trick users into taking actions that are not in their best interest. For example :

  • Early opt-out: forcing users to uncheck an option to avoid something (like subscribing to a newsletter), instead of letting them actively choose to sign up.
  • Bait and switch: attract users with a tempting offer and then change the terms or options available once they are engaged.
  • Misdirection (diversion): using design elements to subtly direct users to actions they did not intend to take, such as clicking on ads disguised as main content items.

 

Through this article, we will present to you some of the persuasive design patterns, grouped into several main categories such as: cognition, game mechanics, perception and memory, feedback and social.

 

 1️⃣ Cognition (cognitive)  

It groups together three subcategories: “loss aversion”, “other cognitive biases”, “scarcity”. We will illustrate them with several examples: 

  • Ikea effects (IKEA effect)

We place disproportionate value on the products we helped create.

Best Practices: To maximize customer satisfaction, it is recommended to actively involve users in product design and construction. For example, allowing users to personalize their products can strengthen their emotional attachment and increase their willingness to pay a higher price. However, it is crucial to find a balance so that tasks do not become too difficult, which could discourage participation and diminish the positive effect of user involvement.

  • Limited Choice (limits the choice)

When there are too many options available, users may feel overwhelmed and hesitate to make a decision. To encourage faster decisions and reduce interface complexity, it is recommended to limit the number of options offered.

Best practices: Reduce the options available by simplifying the choice and presenting fewer options at a time. Present complex choices first, structuring choices in a logical, step-by-step manner. Offer an optimal number of choices to prevent users from feeling too pressured or confused. Create clear and direct user journeys to guide users towards decision-making.

  • Priming Effect (priming effect)

The priming effect occurs when our decisions are unconsciously influenced by recent experiences. For example, exposure to specific words, signs, or images can anchor ideas in our minds, making it easier to recognize and process options related to those later experiences. This creates cognitive fluency, making information easier to process later.

Best Practices: To effectively use priming in design, it is recommended to incorporate metaphors and images to trigger relevant emotions and associations. For example, colors, photos and videos can evoke specific emotions that will guide users towards the desired choice. The goal is to make the user experience more intuitive by creating positive mental associations with the content presented. Use this technique to guide users towards the desired choice and elicit the emotions needed for a future decision.

 

2️⃣ Game mechanics

They also group together three subcategories: gameplay design, fundamentals of rewards, gameplay rewards.

  • Hedonic adaptation (hedonic adaptation)

Hedonic adaptation describes how we return to a stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events. No matter how new the experience, our feelings eventually return to normal, adjusting our happiness level to a new baseline. For example, receiving a raise in salary provides immediate happiness, but the feeling quickly fades as we get used to it. Think about how you can keep users in a constant state of mild craving to keep expectations low and users happy.

Best practices: to maximize the duration of user happiness, it is recommended to fragment positive experiences. Gradually releasing products or content creates ongoing anticipation and excitement. For example, limiting access to certain features or exclusive content can function as a highly anticipated reward, keeping users in a permanent but moderate state of desire. The goal is to keep expectations low and users happy by creating a cycle of continuous gratification.

  • Shaping (shaping)

Also known as conditioning, it is a technique for encouraging the adoption of desired behaviors by gradually strengthening approximations toward a target behavior.

Best Practices: To use shaping effectively, break the target behavior into small, achievable steps. For example, to help someone develop public speaking skills, start with simple actions like standing in front of a mirror and then practice presentations in front of close friends. Introduce rewards to encourage each step toward the final behavior and punishments to deter unwanted behavior. This helps guide users toward successfully adopting complex behaviors while minimizing initial anxiety or resistance.

  • Delighters (delight)

Delicacies, or exciters, exploit our positive reaction to new, unexpected and playful pleasures. These memorable elements can transform an ordinary experience into a pleasant and distinct one, helping your product stand out in a competitive market.

Best practices: to maximize the impact of delicacies, integrate elements such as fun microcopy, visual surprises such as « Easter Eggs » which are a hidden feature, often fun or surprising, that developers intentionally integrate. These surprises can be messages, animations, mini-games, or secret features that are not easy to discover for the average user like the Google Dino Game and many others. The key is to administer novelty and surprise in moderation to avoid negative habituation. In a saturated market, these tactics can attract attention, increase brand recall, and drive positive word-of-mouth.

 

3️⃣ Perception and memory

It brings together two subcategories: attention and understanding.

  • zeigarnik Effect (the Zeigarnik effect)

It describes our tendency to remember tasks we didn't complete or were interrupted better than those we did complete.

Best Practices: To use the Zeigarnik Effect effectively, break complex experiments into smaller steps and be sure to clearly signal progress toward completing tasks. Use reminders to keep users engaged with unfinished tasks, showing them what still needs to be done and encouraging them to complete each step.

  • Serial Positioning Effect (series positioning effect)

Or the seriality effect, it indicates that we have better memory for the first and last element of a series compared to the middle elements.

Good practices : To take advantage of the serial positioning effect in design, have strategic organization such as arranging important items at the beginning and end of the list to improve their memorability. Initial items benefit from the primacy effect, while final items are more easily recalled thanks to the recency effect. If you want to influence an immediate decision, place the preferred option at the end of the list. For deferred decisions, present this option up front. Design your interface to highlight relevant information to help users effectively achieve their goals. Use visual or audio cues to facilitate recognition of previously seen actions and remind them of their importance.

 

4️⃣ Feedback, with a part on timing

  • Kairos

This refers to critical moments when people are most open to change. This can be during important events like buying your first car or during recurring habits like shopping. These moments are valuable because they provide unique opportunities to influence user decisions. Kairos allows you to increase your chances of success by influencing user behaviors when they are most receptive to change

Best practices: Identify those critical moments in users’ lives, like big events or regular habits. Personalize your messages and offers to match these specific times, rather than delivering generic messages all the time. Use contextual information to choose the right time to act, taking into account recent events and current user needs.

 

5️⃣ Social with social biases

  • Halo effect

It refers to a psychological phenomenon where first impressions of a product or organization strongly influence users' overall opinions. If a first experience is positive, this often leads to a better overall perception of the reliability, intuitiveness and security of the product or company.

Best practices: take care of first impressions and ensure that the first interactions with your product or service are positive and memorable. This could include user interface, customer service, or even product presentation. Capitalize on consistency and maintain high quality across the board, which strengthens the overall Halo effect. Also monitor its reputation because consumers tend to prefer brands they know and trust. A good reputation can favorably influence the perception of a brand's new products. By creating positive impressions from the start and maintaining quality across all interactions, you can build user loyalty and increase the positive impact on your business performance.

There are still many other persuasive design patterns (over ninety), each aimed at subtly influencing user behavior through various psychological and design principles.

 

Conclusion

Judicious application of these patterns in UX design can significantly transform the way users interact with digital interfaces and products. By understanding and integrating these techniques, designers can not only improve user experience but also achieve business goals more effectively. It is essential to select and adapt patterns according to the specific needs of each project and the target behaviors of users, while remaining attentive to maintaining ethics and transparency in the use of these persuasion techniques. 

 

Inspirational links:

Links to a detailed list of existing design patterns:

 

 

Anaëlle Staelen, UX/UI designer and Product designer at UX-Republic