REASON 01: The Aesthetic-Usability Effect

Take a look here at the behind the scenes shot from our new video series. This was taken with a robotic boom camera, and shows off the killer set design by David Saint. He took advantage of the the aesthetic-usability effect: the important truth that aesthetic designs are perceived as better and higher quality than less-aesthetic designs.

This perception tends to exist whether or not a service is actually easier to use. And it’s not just a mind-game, because perception is an important part of the user experience (and the two are inexorably connected in the brain).  The aesthetic usability effect has been replicated in social science experiments, and has important implications for the acceptance, use and performance of any service you might have. Here’s one way to think about it. 

In the early days of the personal computer, all the display screens were black and white. When color screens were first introduced, they were amber or green. Green text (instead of white text) color added no discernible value for everyday work. But when people first saw a monitor with green or amber text instead of white, they wanted one. It just seemed better. THEN, color monitors came out. Since all games and software sucked at that time, from a cognitive point of view, the color added no value that could not be provided with the use of shading on a regular monitor. But despite the fact that the interface community could find no scientific benefit, people insisted on buying color monitors. For some reason, color was fulfilling a need, but one that could not be measured.

Not only are aesthetic designs easier to use, they also have a higher probability of being used.  So even if something is designed in a very user-friendly way, if it is not aesthetically pleasing it is less likely to be used, making it’s usability of less value.

The rule means that first impressions count.  For instance, humans who are more attractive tend to be perceived and treated better, as their initial impact influences the formation of attitudes and perceptions of others.

We build this professional presentation environment in a real studio, with professional cameras and a robotic book to create a positive perception for our new video series, Pitch Mastery.

David and I discussed the cost of the set and the production, more than $25,000 for a single day, and whether it would be worth the investment. In the end, we concluded that aesthetic designs encourage positive feelings such as patience, loyalty and affection, and we wanted those feelings around our product. We felt it would lead to much greater long term usability and that people would learn my material more easily when presented this way.  These positive perceptions – we believed – would also encourage creative thinking and problem solving, whereas less aesthetic studio (like a Skype recording) would lead to negative feelings and tend to narrow thinking, and stifle the feeling of wanting from my audience. 

The aesthetics of a product have far reaching consequences. The desire to posses attractive items is an innate part of the human condition and we should use this to help our businesses. I spend an enormous amount of time considering my pitches and how they look, sound and feel. Anattractive product will be perceived as easier to use. Ease of use is often a criteria in purchase decisions – easy to use products require less training and support. So by improving the attractiveness of a pitch, it increases the perceived high-quality of a deal – improving the chances of getting a deal done. 

Spending time and money on the outward appearance of your product, pitch or presentation makes a lot of sense and that it can more than pay for itself in increased sales volume or users. So, if users are complaining that your product isn’t user friendly, your training is boring, or your pitch is too long and detailed, it might not be a problem with you, the product or your interface mechanics – it might be their way of saying that what you’re presenting them just it isn’t attractive enough, and that they don’t WANT it.