Experience Design: 4 Questions to Help You Get Started

People always say the hardest part of a project is getting started. There’s a variety of reasons as to why that is, it could be because the project scope is so large that defining a starting point seems impossible. Or, it could simply be that we fear getting off to a bad start. Regardless of the reason, starting is inevitable. And when it comes to theming, starting off on the wrong foot could derail a whole environment that was meant to excite.

Now, this isn’t meant to scare you or steer you away from beginning to tackle that big project with the looming deadlines. Planning is half the battle. But, before you break out the design board to figure out that first step, there are four essential questions you should be asking yourself to ensure that your project stays goal, and theme, driven.

 

1.       What emotions should be evoked on someone’s first impression?

This can become a loaded question if you let it be. But keep it simple. Are you creating a haunted attraction? Then your goal is to evoke fear and that adrenaline rush. Is it a children’s character you’re designing? Then how will you personify joy and trust? Emotion is the driving factor for human experience. So, once you have the emotions that you want to evoke nailed down, you will be able to use them as the driving force of your project.

2.       Who is going to be engaging most with your project?

Target markets are used across all branches of business. And knowing your target market will give you a better understanding of how they will interact with your project. Now, if this is a project you are completing for a client, it would be wise to tap into their knowledge of who will be engaging with the finished product. Or, if something similar exists, do some field research to determine existing markets and previous responses.

Perspective is key once you have a grasp on who your project is intended for. A child and an adult will each have completely different experiences when looking at the same material, the same thing goes for women and men. That is why it’s so important to know who, exactly, is going to be interacting with your project.

3.       What obstacles will I be faced with?

I call this the “Hoping for the Best but, Preparing for the Worst” principle. While we always hope each step of our project goes smoothly, the reality is that bumps and hiccups do happen, probably more frequently than we’d like to admit (but that’s what happens when you’re an innovator). Having an idea of some of the stumbles that might occur along the way is a great start to being ready for them if (and I mean when) they occur.

4.       What is my ‘WOW factor’?

Your ‘WOW factor’ distinguishes you from the other 1,000+ businesses in your industry. Your ‘WOW factor’ makes your business unique, special, one-of-a-kind, and most importantly, keeps people coming back for more. Now, the great thing about a ‘WOW factor’ is that is can be dynamic from project to project. Yes, there will always be that one thing your company specializes in, but how do you take that and make something totally unique to this particular project. Something that (and here’s the key) no one has ever seen before. Once you get that down, you have conquered the ‘WOW factor’.

If you can answer these four questions, then the great news is you’ve already started, and you have a solid foundation to work and grow your project with. Good luck and happy planning!