Emotional Design (IxDF / Don Norman)

Concept Search related

1. Visceral — gut reaction, first impression. An uncluttered UI suggests ease of use. This is the layer that fires before the user has read any copy. 2. Behavioral — subconscious evaluation of how the design helps achieve goals. The user feels in control; minimum effort required. Most product UX work lives here. 3. Reflective — conscious judgment of value. If satisfied, the user forms emotional bonds and tells friends. This is where brand loyalty lives.

1. Inject a signature personality (face/mascot) 2. Engage users as a character (personal touches in every task) 3. Use color advantageously (e.g., blue for banking = trust) 4. Craft copy with the right tone (e.g., Slack's "You're here! The day just got better.") 5. Customize microcopy (labels that match the brand voice) 6. Apply video/sound in character 7. Personalize the experience for different users 8. Offer prizes and surprises (Easter eggs) 9. Use storytelling 10. Maintain attention to detail, especially on error messages (polite, light-hearted/humorous, treats to compensate for inconveniences)

on WelcomeView ("— Felty, the Bank"). Felty was already established as the Bank's voice in Lib/Felty/; the polish pass gave him a first-impression slot.

"By invitation only." taglines got the engraved treatment (serif + tracking + uppercase). Typographic lift only; string unchanged.

How it's structured

  1. The three levels 1. Visceral — gut reaction, first impression. An uncluttered UI suggests ease of use. This is the layer that fires before the user has r…
  2. The 10 "how to apply" tactics (IxDF) 1. Inject a signature personality (face/mascot) 2. Engage users as a character (personal touches in every task) 3. Use color advantageously…
  3. Applied to Felt Faction (2026-06-30) The 2026-06-30 pre-auth surface polish pass (commit 08c84a5) applied three of the ten tactics directly:
  4. Applied to Felt Faction (2026-06-30) on WelcomeView ("— Felty, the Bank"). Felty was already established as the Bank's voice in Lib/Felty/; the polish pass gave him a first-im…
  5. Applied to Felt Faction (2026-06-30) Tactics deliberately not applied in the 2026-06-30 pass (out of scope, would need separate work): is the Carwoola Credits ledger, already pr…
  6. When this concept applies doesn't feel right" without naming the cause (the visceral layer is the most likely culprit) like to use for the first time?" — visceral; "d…
  7. … 1 more sections in the full essay

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