Meaningful Experiences UPA Conference

Developing Meaningful Experiences

Nathan ShedroffUPA 2009

Slides and templates posted:nathan.com/thoughts

The big thing!

The big thing!Meaning

Why experiences?

From: The Experience Economy, Pine and Gilmore

Commodity Product Service

Price/Value

Experience

Commodity Product Service

Price/Value

Event/Environment

Experience

Experiences are designable

Everything we createis an experience

We recognize some experiences easily



People don’t just travel to see things

They travel to experience

Design is the processof making experiences

But what, exactly,is an experience?

EXPERIENCE BREADTH

DURATION

TRIGGERS

SIGNIFICANCE

INTENSITY INTERACTION

EXPERIENCE BREADTHProductService

BrandName(s)

Channel/Environment (Space)

PromotionPrice

Breadth


BrandName(s)


PromotionPrice

TRIGGERSSightSoundSmellTasteTouchConceptsSymbols

Every sensorial decision is a trigger:

color, texture, smell, taste, typeface, sound, music, voice, pattern, icon,

symbol, interaction, layout, concept, temperature, expression, etc...


BrandName(s)


PromotionPrice


INTENSITYReflexHabit

Engagement

Intensity

Intensity

Intensity


BrandName(s)


PromotionPrice

DURATIONInitiation

ImmersionConclusion

Continuation



Engagement


BrandName(s)


PromotionPrice

DURATIONInitiation

ImmersionConclusion

Continuation



Engagement

INTERACTIONPassiveActiveInteractive


BrandName(s)


PromotionPrice

DURATIONInitiation

ImmersionConclusion

Continuation


SIGNIFICANCEMeaningStatus/IdentityEmotion/LifestylePriceFunction


Engagement


BREADTHProductService

BrandName(s)


PromotionPrice

DURATIONInitiation

ImmersionConclusion

Continuation


SIGNIFICANCEMeaningStatus/IdentityEmotion/LifestylePriceFunction


Engagement


MEANING

MEANINGVALUESEMOTIONSPRICEFEATURES

Function (Performance):Does this do what I need?

Price (Value):Does this do what I need at a

price that’s worth it?

Emotions (Lifestyle):Does this make me

feel good?

Status/Identity (Values):Is this me?

Meaning (Reality):Does this fit into my reality?

AccomplishmentBeauty

CreationCommunity

DutyEnlightenment

Freedom

HarmonyJustice

OnenessRedemption

SecurityTruth

ValidationWonder

Core Meanings:

Core Meanings:

Definitions:makingmeaning.org

Meaning is at the core of Values:Priorities and Expressions

AccomplishmentBeautyCreation

CommunityDuty

EnlightenmentFreedom

HarmonyJustice

OnenessRedemption

SecurityTruth

ValidationWonder

Nike:


Freedom


Creation

DutyEnlightenment

Freedom

HarmonyJustice

OnenessRedemption

SecurityTruth

Apple:

BeautyCreation

Freedom Validation

Community


CreationCommunity

DutyEnlightenment

Freedom

HarmonyJustice

OnenessRedemption

SecurityTruth

Validation

Apple:

Wonder


CreationCommunity

Freedom

AccomplishmentBeautyCreation

CommunityDuty

EnlightenmentFreedom

HarmonyJustice

OnenessRedemption

SecurityTruth

ValidationWonder

Beauty

Community Redemption

Wonder

FilmsTV & Radio

MusicTheme parks

Travel (cruises, etc.)Clothing

SouvenirsToys

ComputersGames

Cars & Buses?Phones & PDAs?

Furniture?Security Systems?Food & Agriculture?Education (schools)?Financial Services?

Healthcare?Governments?

Beauty, Community, Wonder...

Successful experiences are meaningful

(and not merely novel)

Design is the processof evoking meaning

How does this relate tobusiness & strategy?

Corporate Meaning Priorities

Team Meaning Priorities

Customer Meaning Priorities

Strategic Design:

Your Focus

Corporate Meaning Priorities

Team Meaning Priorities

Customer Meaning Priorities

Strategic Design:

Competitors’ Meaning Priorities

Your Focus

Corporate:Accomplishment

BeautyWonder

Focus: Beauty & Wonder

Strategic Design:

Team:HarmonyBeautyWonder

Customer:SecurityBeautyWonder

Corporate:Accomplishment

BeautyWonder

No Focus!

Strategic Design:

Team:HarmonyJustice

Wonder

Customer:ValidationCreation

Duty

How do you put this into the development process?

A meaning-filled development process:




Research Techniques:Interviews

Careful SurveysShadowingGames, etc.

The Meaning of Thingsby Csikszentmihalyi

SUSTAINABILITY

BUSINESS

DESIGN

SUSTAINABILITY

BUSINESS

DESIGN

EXPERIENCE

MEANING

Some questions:

Who’s doing this?

Who’s doing this?You

What meanings doyour customers prioritize?

What experiencesdo they seek?

Is meaning manipulation?

Should companiesevoke meaning?

Does everything we design already evoke meaning?

Are you creatinganything meaningful?

What’s meaningful to you?

nathan.com/thoughts

makingmeaning.orgexperiencedesignbooks.com

[email protected]