Friction Design: Make Things Smooth (or Not)

Let's talk about how designed friction can either slow you down or speed you up UX. Designed friction is like a speed bumps in a parking lot or very tight corners – they make the driver slow down and pay attention. The opposite is also true, open straight roads with high speed limits push drivers through at higher rates of speed.

By strategically introducing friction points or deliberate interactions, designers can shape user behavior, encourage mindful engagement, and guide users toward desired actions or outcomes in the digital environment.

Some takes on how we can use designed friction:

Slowing down

Incorporating pauses or roadblocks to make users stop and think serve as gentle reminders to consider their next move. Examples include:

• Toast Notifications: Subtle confirmations on user progress.
• Typing Confirmation: Requiring users to confirm their actions by typing the name of the file before deleting for example.
• Scrolling Interactions: Guide users' attention by highlighting important text content (key principles / positioning / messaging) as they navigate. This helps users focus on relevant content and prevents important details from being overlooked amidst a sea of information.
• Progressive Disclosure: Instead of presenting all information upfront, content can be progressively revealed as users scroll down the page. This approach creates a sense of anticipation and encourages users to engage with the content sequentially, enhancing comprehension and retention, while making the experience more sticky all together.

Speeding Up

• All-in-One View: Presenting all essential information within the initial viewport ensures users can quickly access what they need without having to scroll. This eliminates the need for users to hunt for information, streamlining the user experience. They find what they need immediatly or not. Done!

• One-Click Actions: Offering direct access to key features or actions with minimal clicks allows users to accomplish tasks swiftly. Whether it's making a purchase or submitting a form, reducing the number of steps required accelerates the user journey.

Reverse Engineer

What is the 80% of traffic hoping to accomplish? Make a payment? What must be true to make a payment? user must be logged in

Solution: Make a payment as the first clickable link Running conditionals on login pushing user to payment page as fast as possible.

Balance

All about finding that sweet spot between making things too easy and too hard. Too much friction, and you'll feel like you're trudging through mud. Too little, and you might crash and burn.

Next Steps

• Playful Pauses: Use animations or fun interactions to catch the eye and guide the way.
• Double-Check: Sometimes, it's good to make people stop and confirm before they do something irreversible.
• Keep It Simple: Don't overwhelm users with too many options or steps. Keep it simple, silly!

In the end, it's all about making the journey smooth and enjoyable, whether you're browsing a website, using an app, or just scrolling through your social feed.