Why Fun Design Patterns Are Important
We’re in a place with UX and UI design that we aren’t shooting in the dark, hoping for the best — we can rely on tried and true methods and put our own spin on them. However, just because they worked for other people doesn’t inherently means it’ll work for you.
So what makes a design pattern good and what makes it better? The answer is simple : joy. Good design does exactly what it should do- gets you to wherever, or whatever you’re trying to do with as little friction as possible. Take the tried and true volume slides —
It has a universal language of left and right for volume adjustment, negative and positive space contrast to tell you are, all topped with a small dot to confirm your volume level, as well as guide your thumb or mouse.
So, simple, intuitive and universally understood — check. However, how does a designer go above this already high bar? Theoretically, I’d say it simple comes down to one word — fun.
Don’t get it wrong, interaction at every turn doesn’t have to and really shouldn’t be entertaining, but the right modules being fun to use can consequently have users come back to use that said module.
And this ties into breaking out of what’s universally accepted and turning it into your design choice. By creating a design element that adheres to the design rules and goes a step beyond, you’re making that interaction with the user memorable.
An example of this can be found in the transitions of a Swiss CBD company’s website, True Cannabis.
One word — FUN. It’s exactly what they want you to think as the consumer, about CBD. It’s fun.
But we’re here to talk design, not branding, but fun doesn’t stop at nifty transition. EVERYTHING IS FUN. From wavy menus, to interactive side bars, even the fucking top menu is fun, this is the definition of a fun user experience and interaction.
When you design this way, users forget that they are in front of a computer, making a transaction they’ve made hundreds of times before, and are launched into purchasing the experience. And when you blur the lines between a fun experience and a transactional exchange, that’s when you see high user flow, from start to finish.