Humans, Not Users: Rethinking UX in Design
In a recent TEDx talk, Johannes Ippen raises incisive questions about the role of design in our lives and its broader societal impacts. He challenges the common view of UX design as simply beautifying products, arguing instead for a deeper, more ethical consideration of how design influences human behavior and relationships.
Ippen recounts a personal moment that triggers his exploration of design’s impact. He asserts that design goes beyond aesthetics; it’s a tool capable of manipulation with profound effects on human behavior. He positions himself as both a UX designer and a psychologist, emphasizing an understanding of psychological triggers, such as the primal attraction to red circles. This attention-grabbing element extends beyond product design into areas like social media engagement and influence.
Quantitatively, he references PricewaterhouseCoopers’ 2018 findings: 32% of consumers were deterred from brands after a negative UX experience. This statistic underscores a critical juncture for companies: UX is performance-based, driven by metrics like user retention and engagement. Yet, this same focus on immediate usage can yield harmful societal consequences. Ippen highlights the troubling statistic from the UK that over a third of divorces attribute their cause to Facebook.
Design choices can create an addictive cycle, as evidenced by Snapchat’s “streaks,” which originally served to foster connections but instead have generated anxiety and compulsive behaviors. Ippen argues that designers often overlook the negative ramifications of prioritizing engagement over well-being.
He presents a radical idea: designers should shift their focus from traditional user metrics to the overall human experience.
Ippen illustrates this with a case study from a project with the University of Leipzig, which developed an app to assist war refugees dealing with PTSD. Instead of employing typical engagement tactics like notifications, the team opted for a “red emergency button” feature, ensuring users could rely on it for immediate help without persistent prompts. This approach reframes the relationship between users and products, emphasizing assistance rather than retention.
This shift becomes critical as Ippen asserts that we need to advocate for a new design framework centered on human experience rather than user experience. Companies like Instagram and Facebook are beginning to experiment with removing attention metrics (like “likes”) to alleviate social anxiety. Bumble provides a “snooze” feature to empower users to take breaks from dating pressures, pivoting from an addiction-focused approach to one promoting healthier consumption of their tools.
Even small design choices matter. By removing red notification circles in a messaging app and replacing them with green ones, designers can foster a more mindful user experience, demonstrating how nuanced tweaks can lead to significantly different interactions.
Ippen calls for designers to switch perspectives by imagining the lives, needs, and aspirations of those they design for, breaking free from viewing them merely as users. He emphasizes that the goal should not be just to capture attention or drive usage, but to respect users’ time, choices, and overall well-being.
Designers today wield immense power over the digital landscape. As Ippen posits, every design decision made now shapes the future of our human society. Prioritizing humanity in design can drive positive change, reminding us that good UX should support the lives of users, not constrain them.
For further exploration of these ideas, watch the full talk here.