Karah Salaets first gave this talk at Big Design in Dallas, TX, on September 21, 2019. In the design and UX fields, we often hear the term 'delight' thrown about as if it has a clear, consistent, always-appropriate definition (read: thrill, surprise, excite). Karah argues that we need to reframe the way we think about delight by broadening the definition and appropriate contexts of use. Delightful design doesn't always have to mean excited or surprised, it could sometimes mean empowered, prepared, confident, and more. Karah lists 10 traps that design and product teams fall into when trying to design to delight, then provides her tips for avoiding those traps. SPEAKER NOTES This deck was designed to accompany a talk, therefore the majority of the content lives in the speaker notes. Find the Speaker Notes on SlideShare here: https://www.slideshare.net/secret/EqRp3riCW0AzcF Or, request them from Karah directly at karahsalaets@gmail.com.

1. A talk by Karah Salaets,
Design Researcher with Capgemini Invent
youtube.com/watch?v=Pubd-spHN-0
#bigd2019
Stop trying to
make delight
happen

2. Stop trying to
make delight
happen

3. A talk by Karah Salaets,
Design Researcher with Capgemini Invent
youtube.com/watch?v=Pubd-spHN-0
#bigd2019
Stop trying to
make delight
happen

4. A talk by Karah Salaets,
Design Researcher with Capgemini Invent
youtube.com/watch?v=Pubd-spHN-0
#bigd2019
Stop trying to
make delight
just another empty, meaningless buzzword

6. Stop trying to
make delight
happen
But how will we
our users?

7. All good design
delights users.

8. All good design
delights users. Delight is not always
needed or appropriate.

9. All good design
delights users. Delight is not always
needed or appropriate.

10. Stop trying to
make delighted
happen
inspired surprised
charmed
excited
overjoyed
thrilled

11. Stop trying to
make delighted
happen
productive
confident
competent
relieved secure
safe
protected
independent
reassured
inspired
rewarded
heard
surprised
undetected
informed
in control
proactive
prepared
included
charmed
compensated fulfilled
certain
excited
activated
savvy
smart
empowered
overjoyed
thrilled
recognized

12. that delight-chasers fall into
10 TRAPS
&
how to avoid those traps

13. You use a narrow, fixed
definition of delight.
TRAP 1

14. Case in point

15. slowrobot.com/i/86583

16. zocdoc.com

17. zocdoc.com

18. zocdoc.com

19. zocdoc.com

20. zocdoc.com

21. zocdoc.com

22. zocdoc.com

23. You only focus on
surface delight.
TRAP 2

24. usable
reliable
functional
pleasurable

25. coachilla.co/blog/the-new-hierarchy-of-needs

26. usable
reliable
functional
pleasurable

27. baltimore.craigslist.org

28. Case in point
Redesign of IT
support website

31. You focus on the what, but
not on the why.
TRAP 3

32. witty
microcopy
SOUND
Cute
graphics
animations

33. ♪ Leader of the Pack, by The Shangri-Las, plays automatically in the background ♪
lingscars.com

34. Case in point

35. 2muchcoffee.com/blog/using-gamification-in-your-startup/

36. You never ask users what
they think.
TRAP 4

37. Case in point
Web redesign for
credit card client

38. Silver Card Gold Card

39. Silver Card Gold Card

40. You ask, Who is the user?,
not, How is the user?
TRAP 5

42. Case in point

43. lasgringasblog.com/2017/03/5-reasons-taxes-turbotax

44. You think only of delighting
for the happy path.
TRAP 6

45. Case in point

46. supermoney.com/sofi-personal-loans

47. You forget that delight
depends on context.
TRAP 7

48. Case in point
Concept testing for
automotive client

49. edmunds.com/car-buying/the-pros-and-cons-of-a-dealer-trade.html
To: Karah
I see you’re
interested in a
new vehicle…
sedans perhaps?
Let’s chat

50. You ruin a good idea with
bad delivery.
TRAP 8

51. Case in point
Chat bots + live chat

52. alpackerswhitemarsh.com

53. alpackerswhitemarsh.com

54. alpackerswhitemarsh.com

55. carvana.com

56. You’re really designing to
delight yourselves.
TRAP 9

57. Case in point
Web design for credit
card client

58. TEXT ABOUT CARD FAMILY

59. SILVER CARD INFO
Silver Card

60. GOLD CARD INFO
Gold Card

61. You focus only on the end
user’s needs.
TRAP 10

62. User needs Technical
feasibility
Business objectives
******
Delight
for all
****

63. sprint.com

64. CLOSING TIME

65. 10 traps + 10 questions
Trap
You use a narrow, fixed definition of delight.
You only focus on surface delight.
You focus on the what, but not on the why.
You never ask users what they think.
You ask, Who is the user?, not, How is the user?
You think only of delighting for the happy path.
You forget that delight depends on context.
You ruin a good idea with bad delivery.
You’re really designing to delight yourselves.
You focus only on the end user’s needs.
#bigd2019
Karah Salaets
How should we define delight in this context?
What do users really need right now?
How can we create a great user experience?
What do our users think?
What does success mean for our user?
What are the likely friction and pain points?
What parts of our experience are unique?
What is the best way to execute this idea?
What value does this give to the user?
How does this impact our needs and constraints?
Question

66. A talk by Karah Salaets,
Design Researcher with Capgemini Invent
youtube.com/watch?v=Pubd-spHN-0
#bigd2019
Stop trying to
make delight
happen

67. A talk by Karah Salaets,
Design Researcher with Capgemini Invent
youtube.com/watch?v=Pubd-spHN-0
#bigd2019
Stop trying to
make delight
happen
Don’t

68. Thank you
Big Design
Brian Sullivan
You in the audience
Capgemini Invent
Jessica Gamache
Justin Wear
Mark Taylor
Philip Young
Jen Rovner
Derek Peterson
Gretchen Weiners
#bigd2019
Karah Salaets