💌 Delightful Products #9: The Surprising Secret to Memorable Products
Uplevel your product skills in 6 short minutes
Hello, everyone!
Surprise— we're back! As many of you longtime readers know, Delightful Products has been on a brief hiatus, while I've been going through a lot of change in my life. Since the last newsletter, I've left my job, started a new job, joined an incredible fellowship, and gotten accepted to another! But enough about me, you're here for the delightful products. So let's dive in ⤵️
Imagine that you’re travelling on a bus, on your way to your next destination. You're bored, or perhaps a bit tired. All of the sudden, your favorite song begins playing from the radio, and the bus driver begins singing passionately along!
How would you feel? Happy? Annoyed? Confused? Regardless of your exact emotional state, one thing is certain: it's surprising and memorable.
This month’s topic — Surprise — is a powerful emotion: one that has been shown to increase recognition, focus, attention, and recall. When used smartly in products, surprising design elements bring joy and delight. But when used poorly, usability suffers and frustration increases. How do we as product builders and designers find the right balance?
In this Issue
In just 6 minutes of reading, you’ll get:
A 2-minute primer on the history and psychology of surprise (great for impressing friends & co-workers)
4 product examples that use surprise to create delight
3 great resources to help you apply these learnings
Got 6 minutes? Let’s go!