Creating Intimacy Through User Interface and Interaction Design

I've spent a long time designing and redesigning pretty much every UI element you can think of. Buttons that get clicked thousands of times a day, navigation systems that guide millions, dense dashboards that help people make million dollar decisions, forms that collect life's most personal info. If it lives on a screen, I've probably worked over it at some point.

Every project eventually ends with the same uncomfortable question: Is this  good? Does it feel right? We now have many tools that help us gather and analyse data, pick the best UX flows, and automate most of the design process.  But in all that optimization, we've mostly ignored the one thing that keeps people coming back. How does the interface make someone feel seen, understood, maybe even delighted? How do we create that invisible thread, that visually and emotionally bond the product with the human?

I have come to realize that between bussiness goals and users expectations sit three following layers, if balanced precisely, can help in building user interfaces that connect with people.

Design for impression: Grab attention in seconds with colors, shapes, typography, and motion that instantly matches users feelings and expectations.

Design for interaction: Deliver smooth, rewarding use through clear feedback, intuitive gestures, and delightful micro-moments

Design for meaning: Build emotional connection that last while resonancing with users identity and character

Tools

Some of the tools that help me build emotional connection with people through UI and interaction design:

My work

Visuals speak better than words. The following work samples are the results of my fun and creative design process