These days all products are designed for immediate comfort. Removing valuable uncomfortable experiences that actually make us learn new things. Slides for the talk given at UX Camp Europe 2019.

1. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Extinction of Happy
Accidents
Matthijs Mali - UX Camp Europe 2019

2. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Matthijs Mali - UX Architect
Technology, Psychology, Development, UI Design, UX Research
Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
(5 hours west of Berlin)

3. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Agenda
- What I found (a bit of context)
- Example brainstorm
- Statements for discussion

4. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Firstly

5. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl

6. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
We create
comfortable things
that kill happy
accidents.

7. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Happy accident?
Something unexpected or unplanned that turns out to be fruitful.
- A learning
- A new direction

8. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Comfort
GrowthLearn
FearComfort

9. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Comfort
GrowthLearn
FearComfort
BRZ

10. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Comfort
GrowthLearn
FearComfort
Bob Ross Zone

11. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Imagine an activity
If the difficulty or the investment increases…
AND
There is a high chance of something unexpected to happen
THE RESULT IS
A high chance of learning something valuable

12. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Let’s get some entertainment

13. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
The movies

14. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
To the Blackboard
(Sorry Bob, ain’t got no canvas..)
List:
Action to take
Difficulty / Investment (low - high)
Unexpected (low - high)
Learning!

15. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Let’s get some
clever,
2.0 and
smart
entertainment

16. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl

17. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
To the Blackboard
(Sorry again Bob!)
List:
Action to take
Difficulty / Investment (low - high)
Unexpected (low - high)
Learning!

18. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Happy Accident
Diagram

19. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Difficulty/Investment
Chance of experiencing something unexpected
Q
uality
of Learning

20. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
I’m hungry...

21. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Let’s cook a meal

22. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl

23. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl

24. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
To the Blackboard
(Let us just hide in darkness Bob!)
List:
Action to take
Difficulty / Investment (low - high)
Unexpected (low - high)
Learning!

25. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
To the Blackboard
(Let us just hide in darkness Bob!)
List:
Action to take
Difficulty / Investment (low - high)
Unexpected (low - high)
Learning!

26. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Grocery list Go to market Choose products Haggle
Go home
Get tools Prep food Cook Serve Eat Clean
Med High Low High Low Med Med Low Low High
Low High Med High Med High High Low High Low
Planning Fitness Decide Money’s
worth
Improv Structure Improv
Planning
Service Satisfaction Push
through
List:
Action to take
Difficulty / Investment (low - high)
Unexpected (low - high)
Learning!
10
Potential Learnings

27. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
I’m hungry
and lazy...

28. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Let’s order a meal

29. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Visit Site Choose dish Order Pay Wait Receive Eat Clean
Low Med Low Med Low Low Low Med
Low High Low Low Low Med Med Low
Memory Memory - Finances ? ? ? Push
through
List:
Action to take
Difficulty / Investment (low - high)
Unexpected (low - high)
Learning!
4?
Potential Learnings

30. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Difficulty/Investment
Chance of experiencing something unexpected
Q
uality
of Learning

31. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Difficulty/Investment
Chance of experiencing something unexpected
Q
uality
of Learning

32. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Difficulty/Investment
Chance of experiencing something unexpected
Q
uality
of Learning
Bob Ross
Zone

33. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
We create
comfortable things
that kill happy
accidents.

34. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
How’d the future look?

35. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
People use only a handful of comfortable solutions.
Solutions are designed in such a way that they reinforce the learning behaviour
and unexpected side-effects are seen as a big plus for products.
Society is aware of the fact that having too much comfort deprives them from new
learnings.
They desire products with happy accidents

36. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Some examples

37. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Difficulty/
Investment
Chance of experiencing something
unexpected

38. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Difficulty/
Investment
Chance of experiencing something
unexpected

39. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Difficulty/
Investment
Chance of experiencing something
unexpected
https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/xwa9v3/heres-how-to-make-dinner-for-pound1

40. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Lets discuss...

41. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Product must
contain room for
happy accidents.

42. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Users must be
aware of products
without happy
accidents

43. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Designers should
swear to an oath.
“I shall not make
overcomfortable
products”

44. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
- Try to place the product you are currently working on in the quadrant.
- In current and future customer journeys, cherish chances of unexpected
outcomes.
- Experience+ label on products?
- Figure out where you could implement measures to increase the likelihood of
unexpected outcomes. (Happy accidents)

45. Matthijs Mali - matthijsmali.nl
Thanks!
Matthijs Mali, NL
matthijs.mali@live.nl