Persuasive Patterns: Influence
Delighters
We remember and respond favorably to new, unexpected, and playful pleasures
Delighters are elements within a product or service that provide unexpected joy or surprise. They go beyond basic functionality to offer something novel or playful that elevates the overall user experience.
Consider an ordinary Tuesday afternoon. You’re waiting in line at the grocery store when your banking app notifies you of a small cashback reward for a recent purchase you barely remember. This minor surprise instantly brightens your day – the positive disruption transforms a mundane moment into a slightly more enjoyable experience.
The same dynamic plays out in digital products. You book a ride home from work, and the app tells you your driver is bringing a complimentary bottle of water on a hot day. That unexpected gesture strengthens your perception of the service and builds goodwill that carries forward to your next booking.
A positive surprise can amplify the feelings of joy
Kahneman and Tversky (1979) found that the pleasure of gaining money was significantly less intense than the disappointment of losing the same amount. However, when an unexpected element was introduced – the chance to win double – the positive surprise significantly amplified participants’ feelings of joy. Unexpected rewards intensify positive emotions beyond what the same reward would produce if anticipated. Designers can leverage this principle to create experiences that are not only functional but unexpectedly delightful.
Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263–291.
Delighters tap into the psychological principle of reward positivity. Our brains prioritize and remember positive experiences more vividly than negative ones – the positivity bias – which explains why unexpected moments of joy leave a lasting impression. These unexpected pleasures trigger dopamine release, reinforcing the behavior that led to the delightful experience and making it stand out in memory.
By leveraging novelty and surprise, delighters don’t just satisfy expectations – they exceed them. This creates a deeper emotional connection with the product, enhancing perceived value and fostering loyalty. In competitive markets where meeting expectations is table stakes, positive emotions from unexpected delight drive engagement and retention.
Designing products with Delighters
The effectiveness of delighters hinges on surprise and relevance. Conduct user research to identify moments in the journey where a delightful surprise would be most impactful, then tailor the delight to your audience’s demographics, preferences, and pain points.
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Keep the element of surprise
Avoid turning delightful surprises into predictable occurrences. The moment a delight becomes expected, it stops being a delight. Rotate and vary your surprises so they retain their power. -
Vary the experience
A delightful surprise for one user might be mundane for another. Offer a variety of delightful experiences – customization options, unlockable features, or personalized touches – to cater to different preferences. -
Think small
Delighters don’t need to be grand gestures. A playful animation after completing a task, unexpected praise for routine actions, or a humorous error message can transform user perception. Focus on subtle touches that complement your product’s overall aesthetic.
The Kano model
The concept of delighters traces back to Noriaki Kano’s model, which distinguishes three types of product features:
- Must-be features
Basic features customers expect. Their absence causes dissatisfaction, but their presence doesn’t increase satisfaction – they are taken for granted. - Performance features
Features where satisfaction scales with performance. These are what companies typically compete on, as customers are explicitly aware of them. - Delighters (Attractive Features)
Features that provide high satisfaction when present, but whose absence doesn’t cause dissatisfaction because customers don’t expect them.
Delighters can convert users into passionate advocates and significantly enhance loyalty. They include innovative functionalities, personalized interactions, or aesthetic enhancements that are not anticipated but highly appreciated when discovered. The moment a delight becomes expected, however, it shifts from a Delighter to a Performance feature in users’ minds – which means delighters must continually evolve.
Use delighters strategically. They must align with the overall user experience and should not overwhelm core functionalities. Their use should also be sustainable, adding value without incurring disproportionate costs.
Ethical recommendations
Delighters carry risks when misused. In gaming or social media, dopamine-driven feedback loops can result in compulsive behavior. Delighters that hide costs behind an initial pleasant experience breed distrust once the true costs surface. Overreliance on delightful surprises can also distract users from core product functionality.
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Be transparent
Be open about what users can expect. Delightful experiences should be clear in their intentions and outcomes to prevent users from feeling deceived. -
Maintain a healthy balance
Delighters should not distract from or undermine core functionality. Ensure they add genuine value rather than serving to obscure deficiencies or manipulate behavior. -
Give the user control
Allow users to opt out of potentially intrusive delightful experiences. Giving users control fosters trust and respects individual preferences. -
Design for positive reinforcement
Design delighters that promote positive behavior without encouraging addiction or negative emotional responses. Every element that contributes to joy should also support the user’s long-term well-being, not just short-term pleasure.
Real life Delighters examples
Google Doodles
Google regularly transforms its homepage logo into creative, fun doodles commemorating holidays, anniversaries, and the lives of famous artists and scientists. These doodles surprise and delight users globally, enhancing engagement and brand affinity.
Slack
Slack uses delightful micro-interactions, like customizable loading messages and playful animations for certain commands, which enhance user experience by infusing humor and personality.
Zappos
Known for excellent customer service, Zappos occasionally surprises customers with unexpected free upgrades to overnight shipping, delighting customers and building brand loyalty.
Trigger Questions
- How can we ensure our delighters remain unexpected and fresh?
- Are the delighters we plan to implement aligned with our brand identity and user expectations?
- What are subtle ways we can integrate delighters without overwhelming the user experience?
- How can we measure the effectiveness of our delightful surprises?
- What feedback mechanisms can we introduce to assess whether delighters continue to be effective?
- How can we balance core functionality with delightful elements to maintain or enhance overall user experience?
- How can we ensure delights remain delightful and avoid becoming predictable?
- What subtle touches can create a delightful and engaging experience?
Pairings
Delighters + Rewards + Achievements
Delighters work well with the Rewards pattern, where unexpected bonuses can enhance the joy of achievements. For example, a fitness app could surprise users who reach their weekly goals earlier than expected with a special badge or a one-time discount on premium gear.
We remember and respond favorably to new, unexpected, and playful pleasures
Use rewards to encourage continuation of wanted behavior
We are engaged by activities in which meaningful achievements are recognized
Delighters + Peak-End Rule
This rule states that people judge an experience by its most intense point and its end. Delighters can be strategically placed at the climax or conclusion of user interactions to create a memorable experience. For instance, a service could send a personalized thank-you video message from the CEO to clients at the end of a major project, exceeding expectations.
We remember and respond favorably to new, unexpected, and playful pleasures
We judge an experience by its peak and how it ends
Delighters + Status + Levels
Integrating Delighters with status-based features encourages continuous engagement. For example, upon reaching a new status level, users could unlock hidden features or content that delight and motivate further interaction.
We remember and respond favorably to new, unexpected, and playful pleasures
We constantly look to how our actions improve or impair how others see us
Use levels to communicate progress and gauge users' personal development
Delighters + Tailoring
Personalized Delighters based on user data (likes, past behaviors, preferences) can make experiences feel more individualized and unexpected. A music streaming service could delight users by creating and offering personalized playlists unexpectedly.
We remember and respond favorably to new, unexpected, and playful pleasures
Adapt the offerings of a system to match individual users- needs and abilities
Delighters + Storytelling
A travel booking app (e.g., Airbnb) could surprise users with a hidden “mystery deal” on a weekend getaway, presented within a captivating travel story. This unexpected delight sparks user interest and injects a touch of playful discovery into the booking process.
We remember and respond favorably to new, unexpected, and playful pleasures
We engage, understand, and remember narratives better than facts alone
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- Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. Plenum Press.
- Ludden, G. D. S., Schifferstein, H. N. J., & Hekkert, P. (2008). Surprise as a Design Strategy. Design Issues, 24(2), 28-38.
- Van Osselaer, S., & Janiszewski, C. (2011). The persuasive effects of unexpected in-store promotions. Journal of Marketing, 75(6), 104–120.
- Shankar, V., Inman, J. J., Smith, D. C., & Chaudhuri, A. (2008). Brand and product knowledge effects on consumer evaluations of unexpected service encounters. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 18(1), 74–84.
- Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Finkenauer, C., & Vohs, K. D. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of Personality and Social Psychology, 4(1), 3–17.
- Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263–291.
- Kano, N., Seraku, N., Takahashi, F., & Tsuji, S. (1984). Attractive quality and must-be quality. Journal of the Japanese Society for Quality Control, 14(2), 39-48.
- Lerner, J. S., Li, Y., Valdesolo, P., & Kassam, K. S. (2015). Emotion and Decision Making. Annual Review of Psychology, 66, 799-823.