Adopting techniques from behavioral sciences we are, as UX practitioners, becoming ever better at nudging users to perform the tasks we want them to perform. But when we remove all barriers and deliver the fairy-tale experience of requiring minimal brain capacity to move forward, we are in fact abandoning our promise of allowing users to make the best choice. In this talk, where fairy-tale and reality intertwine, I will help you catch yourself and remember why you became passionate about UX in the first place.

1. The invisible problem with
FAIRY TALE
experiences
@axbom

2. @axbom

3. @axbom
Úlfur’s Woolies small big about contact
INSPIRATION!
My hoods fit your head.
OUTSIDE INSIDE PICNIC
When you don’t want
to show your face.
For romantic evenings
at home.
When you’re visiting
grandma.

4. @axbom
PREYPAL
money
owed

5. @axbom
confirmation
shipping + taxes delivery time

6. @axbom

7. @axbom
A B

8. @axbom
A B
c0u ed

9. @axbom
A B
h xzm 6

10. @axbom
A B
h xzm 6

11. @axbom
A B
u
wheee!

12. @axbom
A B
u
wheee!

13. @axbom
wheee!
easy!

14. @axbom
OFF ON
AUTO-PILOT

15. @axbom

16. @axbom
profit
buyer uses reptilian brain

17. @axbom
How was
your
What
experience?
experience?

18. @axbom
The user and you.

19. @axbom
The user and you.
I promise to take good care of you.
taking responsibility
obligation · control
promise · conscience
pledge · care for

20. @axbom
OFF ON
AUTO-PILOT

21. @axbom

22. @axbom
Ask a psychiatrist

23. @axbom
Buying milk online
6 for 70kr

24. @axbom
Honey!?
18 litres of
Huh!?
of milk?!

25. @axbom
Making something easy
does not create loyalty.
Understanding people’s
real story does.
Patience does.
Caring does.

26. @axbom

27. @axbom

28. @axbom

29. @axbom
YOUR WEBSITE HOME INFO ABOUT CONTACT
WE ARE UNIQUE
READ MORE
We are extremely unique and different from our competitors
by having a website that looks exactly the same.
Always. Three. Columns.
We could have four
columns. But everyone
else has three.
Feeling creative we
added pic of smiling
woman here.
Yup, the website
layout says we can
offer only 3 services.
Idea stolen, with utmost respect, from Dave Ellis. / novolume.co.uk

30. @axbom@axbom

31. @axbom
Goal

32. @axbom
Goal
PREYPAL

33. @axbom
OFF ON
AUTO-PILOT

34. @axbom
Goal
Think.
Think.
Think.
Think.
Think.

35. @axbom
Goal

36. @axbom
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit. Morbi condimentum nisi non dui ornare, sodales
commodo dui fringilla. Aliquam vehicula magna urna,
id sollicitudin nunc placerat ut. Aliquam faucibus
accumsan sollicitudin. Aenean eu ornare elit, ut
eleifend libero.
Phasellus ut euismod ex
Quis porta enim
Donec elementum
sapien et justo
accumsan dignissim
CRAS FAUCIBUS
Donec elementum
sapien et justo
accumsan dignissim

37. @axbom
Consistent user experience
is newspeak for
SWITCH OFF THE BRAIN.
#BreakingNews

38. @axbom
Good friction gives
guidance.

39. @axbom
Good friction creates resilience.

40. @axbom
Curling

41. @axbom
Curling parents
Treating children like curling stones, sweeping and smoothing
their path, essentially creating zero friction.
This makes it hard for the children to make balanced decisions
and sets them up for disappointment and adversity.

42. @axbom
Treating children like curling stones, sweeping and smoothing
their path, essentially creating zero friction.
This makes it hard for the children to make balanced decisions
and sets them up for disappointment and adversity.
Curling parentsdesigners
users
users

43. @axbom
People need to feel accomplishment.
It is liberating to clear obstacles.
THAT is an experience.
Game designers ADD obstacles.

44. @axbom
Renting a room by the hour

45. @axbom
You will find the password by reading the
welcome information carefully.
In this film you will find the password for logging
in to the booking system, 5 small characters. Your
username is in the confirmation e-mail.
Code of conduct explained
whilst giving out one letter of
the password every thirty
seconds.

46. @axbom
https://hbr.org/2016/03/kevin-spacey
triggerstreet.com
“Dana made it hard for people to
join, but that was great, because
our members were loyal, active
and serious.”
Kevin Spacey about creating
triggerstreet.com, a community for script writers.

47. @axbom
You don’t want to catch everyone.
CATCHING EVERYTHING is not an example of good design.
You need insights about who you want to reach.

48. @axbom
You must decide where your loyalty lies.
user business goal

49. @axbom
Do not hide things that help your
users make conscious, deliberate
choices in your product or service.

50. @axbom
I’m looking for
this…
You can
think like
this…
We work
like this…
Thanks! I
get it…
Ok, I’ll do
this…
You decide if
you move
on…

51. @axbom
Goal

52. @axbom
That was a
good
workout!

53. @axbom
Only then can we live
happily ever after.

54. @axbom
@axbom
“Of course you aren't scared of me.
I'm not the wolf. You are.”
axbom.com/fairytale
– The Bad Ones, Stylo Fantome