Our User

There are two parts to an action: executing the action and then evaluating the results: doing and interpreting. Both execution and evaluation require understanding: how the item works and what results it produces. Both execution and evaluation can affect our emotional state.

Don Norman — The Design of Everyday Things

Page Overview

This page provides Information about the Human – why he acts and how. Sections in Detail:

01: Basics of human action
02: Why humans act
03: Four Reasons why we act
04: How humans act
05: Three levels of processing
06: Human interaction
07: Next – Systemic Approach

Some Basics
of human.

We humans, as emphatic beings, perceive the world with our senses and instinctively interpret the facts presented before us depending on the situation. To do this, we rely on experience, instincts, or our needs. Every human being has basically the same evolutionary prerequisites for this. These biologically trained motivations are universally present. Neuronal and psychological backgrounds are responsible, for example, for the fact that we release dopamine, get adrenaline surges or routinely perform movement gestures.

but why
& how
do we act?

First things
first — why.

The present representation of human action is highly simplified and serves to provide an overview and understanding of the user and his motives

A theory of human motivation — Maslow (1943)

4 Reasons — why

Motivation

Human action is fundamentally governed by two universal characteristics that have evolved from behavioral evolution - the pursuit of efficacy and the organization of goal engagement and goal disengagement. In short, with our human action we are constantly tempted to change our environment and develop motives for action based on our emotions. We act to make a difference and to achieve our goals. This objective is often not conscious and can nowadays be covered by superficial motives.

Needs

According to Maslow, the basic expression of our action is based on the satisfaction of different needs. These range from the purely physiological basic needs to self-actualization. In order to reach higher levels of the pyramid of needs, the lower levels must first be satisfied. At the same time, the more a need is satisfied, the lower the motivation. Higher needs are subjectively less pressing, but create more desirable and personal results, whereas lower needs are more relevant for survival.

Emotions

Human emotions in interaction with our needs are an important component when it comes to analyzing human actions. Our emotions often determine and control our behavior and consciously or unconsciously evaluate the situation or an event. Many behavioral intentions are linked to emotions. In addition to innate cue stimuli, emotions in humans are the result of experience formation. Thus, they provide a kind of guideline for behavioral adaptation in certain situations.
‍

joy
trust
fear
surprise
sadness
disgust
anger
anticipation

Habits

Habits are nothing more than rehearsed actions or behaviors that require little or no thought effort. We need a trigger and a desire for them, react accordingly and are subsequently rewarded. Habits are so relevant because they occur unconsciously and are repeated regularly. 40% of our day is controlled by habits. And here waits the trick of the companies. The user-centric variation of the habit loop provides a positive experience while forming product based habits. We become addicted - without being aware of it.

And secondly —
how we act.

In his work "The Design of Everyday Things", Don Norman explains how people interact with things. He defines the seven Stages of the Action Cycle. Forming the goal, planning the action, specifying a sequence of actions, executing the sequence, then perceiving the changed state, as well as the subsequent interpretation of the perception and the comparison between the result and the goal. Norman distinguishes between goal-oriented action and result-oriented action within his model.

Three levels
of processing.

Human information processing takes place in the brain. However, we do not process everything in the same way. Both our cognitive and emotional processing take place within three distinct processing levels – the visceral, the behavioral, and the reflective. The visceral and behavioral levels are unconscious and contain the basic emotions. The reflective level is home to our conscious thoughts and decisions, as well as the highest level of our emotions.

Three Levels of Processing — Don Norman

There are three different levels of experience and these experiences can be triggered by three different levels of design.

Don Norman — The Design of Everyday Things

— Levels of
Processing

Visceral response is at the lowest level: the control of simple muscles and sensing the state of the world and body. The behavioral level is about expectations, so it is sensitive to the expectations of the action sequence and then the interpretations of the feedback. The reflective level is a part of the goal- and plan- setting activity as well as affected by the comparison of expectations with what has actually happened.

— Don Norman “The Design of Everyday things”

All three levels of processing work together. All play essential roles in determining a person’s like or dislike of a product or service.

Don Norman — The Design of Everyday Things

Human
‍‍

— interaction

Human interaction is based on our needs, emotions, memory, or reactions. At the same time, if we use storytelling as the basis of design, we can satisfy the human need for understanding causes and positively influence expectations.

If we want to act, all interaction possibilities should be clear, constant feedback should confirm us and all elements should be arranged meaningfully, so that we form positive emotions with the product. Good UX design links our perception with our emotion and visual aesthetics.

Time to expand
the horizon.

The next section is about systemic networking and why we designers should break out of our bubble in order to actively shape a sustainable future.

Let's dive into systems

Sources & Reading

A systemic &
future-oriented —
design abstract

Our User– core of UX

Page Overview

Some Basics of human.

but why & how do we act?

First thingsfirst — why.

4 Reasons — why

Motivation

Needs

Emotions

Habits

And secondly —how we act.

Three levelsof processing.

— Levels ofProcessing

Human‍‍

Time to expandthe horizon.

Sources & Reading

Our User
– core of UX

Some Basics
of human.

but why
& how
do we act?

First things
first — why.

And secondly —
how we act.

Three levels
of processing.

— Levels of
Processing

Human
‍‍

Time to expand
the horizon.