My focus in user experience strategy is for the web, but inspiration can really come from anywhere.  I came across a great example of this sort of inspiration just this past week. 

In application design, you want to find a way to reward your users for completing certain tasks.  A great illustration of this comes in the amazing new feature-packed game, Dance Central 3 (DC3). 

DC3, the latest from the best-selling dance franchise on Kinect for Xbox 360, was released this past Tuesday (10/16) by Harmonix Music Systems.  This high-tech game tracks and scores your dance moves as you try to keep up with the fast-paced choreography. The game is divided into several modes, one of which is “Story Mode.”  The story itself is a bit weak (something about dance crimes and creativity in dance being bad), but they found a great way to keep people playing after it’s complete.  

Spoiler Alert:
If you have this game and have not yet beaten story mode, stop reading now.

When you finish the story, you can keep playing in this mode to unlock special prizes. Once you’ve gotten five stars on all songs for a particular crew, you get a QR code to claim your prize.  This can be somewhat of a pain if you don’t already have a QR code reader on your phone, but once it’s finally recognized, you get a link to a page like this:

 

Although it requires you to jump through a few extra hoops, you’re rewarded with several backgrounds that you can download for your phone.  Harmonix made a brilliant move by adding this extended component, giving people something tangible to take with them and show to their friends.  Anytime you can give your users something special that they can earn and feel proud of, you’ve given them a great incentive to keep on using your application.

I came across the feedback form above on airbnb the other day.  If you aren’t familiar with airbnb, here’s a bit about them in their own words:

Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world — online or from a mobile phone.

Like many companies after using their service, they request you fill in a feedback form to review the place you just stayed at.  However, there is something different about their form.  If you take a look at the screenshot, you’ll notice that on the same page that you post the review, there is a field clearly marked to send the host a private message.  They save you the trouble of having to go to the your account inbox to send a separate message.  This is another excellent example of designers really thinking about making their users’ lives easier.

It’s as important in the real world as it is on the web, adding that little extra something that takes your product from good to great.  On a recent trip to the UrbanSpace Meatpacking market, we found a food truck tucked in the back corner called Wafles & Dinges.  Based on the name, it’s pretty easy to guess what they sell: waffles! 

The girl preparing the waffle for us asked if we’d be sharing, when we said yes, she was quick to point out the message on the side that you see below:

Studies have shown* that altruistic attitudes might shift dramatically when wafeling. Check your wafel-o-meter prior to sharing to avoid serious side effects.

*Study conducted by Belgian Ministry of Culinary Affairs, Department of Wafels.

plenty left to share… think twice before sharing… forget about sharing at this point

They could have just packaged the waffle in a regular old white box, but they chose to enhance the dining adventure with playful messaging. 

So many web designs fall flat because they are the white box, they’re exactly what you expect.  When you give your users something additional, something playful or useful, it makes them want to share the experience and talk about it with their friends.  This is certainly something to consider when starting your next project.

Like all web/creative professionals, I am a devotee of all things Mac, and a huge fan of caffeine in the forms of coffee and tea.  So after some thought, I finally decided to throw an old-school tea party for a few of my friends. 

I ordered the tea from Adagio, one of my favorite online tea shops, got the desserts from a lovely little local French pastry shop, and created the labels with some help from my fiancé.

It was an absolute blast!  So much so, that I completely forgot to take pictures during it. We did, however, get some pics from the setup:

It was December of 2003.  I was about to graduate art school, and was filled with angst and trepidation about what my future as a designer would hold.  Would I ever come up with a portfolio theme so powerful it would nab me the job of my dreams? Or would I have to graduate a quarter late because I just couldn’t finish on time?  Portfolio Review would begin in January, and nerves were making my winter break unbearable. 

That December I got my very first iPod.  It was packaged inside a pristine white cube that unfolded to reveal the amazing bit of technology it held.  I was immediately inspired, and my mind was suddenly was racing with ideas for a portfolio theme.  This sudden rush of ideas all sparked by the iPod, with its gorgeous form and packaging.  I graduated on time that March and started my first job the very next week.

Without question, Steve Jobs changed our world.  With each new technology he introduced he not only changed the way that I work, but how and when people interact with the websites I build.  He continuously raised the bar for exceptional products, his influence apparent throughout all smart phones and tablets currently on the market.  We are so lucky to have been able to experience the profound impact he has had on our culture during our lifetimes.

- Sent from my Macbook Pro.