The document summarizes a presentation on using principles of Persuasion, Emotion and Trust (PET) in user experience design. It describes various PET techniques under the categories of Persuasion, Emotion and Trust that can make experiences more engaging. Examples include using scarcity to create a sense of urgency, consistency to encourage follow-through, framing to influence perception, and social proof to encourage behaviors others are doing. The document also discusses how PET can complement usability best practices and provides a case study of applying PET to a travel website redesign.

1. PET
Designing for Persuasion,
Emotion and Trust
Presented by Barry Briggs (@quiffboy)
Monday 5th September 2011
Northern User Experience
#nuxuk

2. Today’s Session
• A bit about us
• Overview of Persuasion, Emotion and Trust (PET)
• How PET works with User-Centered Design (UCD)
• A look at some PET techniques in detail
• Case study – applying PET to a real world example
• The power of the Dark Side – using UX for evil

3. We are Code Computerlove
Hello and welcome 

4. Some background
• Established in 1999 & still independently owned
• Current headcount of 55 people
• Delivering a mix of strategy, channel, UX, creative & technical
• Launched over 300 websites & online applications
• Won lots of awards for the work

7. Hello, my name is
Barry
• UX Architect at Code Computerlove
• Finished uni in 1998 & first “proper”
job as a Web developer
• Worked for a couple of digital
agencies in Leeds before moving to
William Hill in 2001
• William Hill’s lead front-end
developer before becoming their
first UX Architect in 2005
• Embedded UX values & principles
into their design & development
teams
• Been at Code since May 2008
Barry Briggs
User Experience

8. Developing the user experience

9. User Centred Design
Analysis Design Implementation
Expert review
Audience research
Competitor review
Design concepts
Evaluation
Expert review
Analytics audit
User personas
User journeys
Information architecture
Prototypes
Usability testing
Standards & guidelines
Usability testing
Accessibility & standards
User feedback
User testing
KPI measurement
Stakeholder research
Process engineering
Design walkthrough
Usability testing

10. Designing for
Persuasion, Emotion & Trust
Henceforth referred to as PET…

11. What is PET?
• Rooted in social psychology & pioneered by Human Factors Inc
• A methodology for making user experiences more engaging,
compelling, and effective
• 50+ techniques
• Complements classic usability & user experience best practice
• Adds a layer of psychology to “gently nudge” potential customers
towards your stated goal
• Offline retailers have been using similar tools for years

12. Facilitates activities:
Browse
Search
Consume
Comprehend
Interact
H o w P ET works alongside usability
Usability
Can Do
PET
Will Do
Encourages users to:
Engage
Connect
Convert
Return

13. P.E.T.
• Persuasion techniques relate to the mechanics; the
triggers to an action
• Emotion techniques are about eliciting a desired
emotional response during a process
• Trust techniques are for establishing credibility,
providing assurances and removing risk

14. Evil Science?
• Marketeers may notice some familiar concepts in here
• Psychologists probably consider it a bit “Psych 101”
• Some concepts may sound cynical, manipulative or exploitative
• They could be used for evil purposes…
• (We’ll show you some of these later)
• Remember: It’s a toolset. Do with it what you will.

15. User Centred Design
Analysis Design Implementation
Expert review
Audience research
Competitor review
Design concepts
Evaluation
Expert review
Analytics audit
User personas
User journeys
Information architecture
Prototypes
Usability testing
Standards & guidelines
Usability testing
Accessibility & standards
User feedback
User testing
KPI measurement
Stakeholder research
Process engineering
Design walkthrough
Common PET touch points
within the larger UCD process
Usability testing

16. Audience
Research
& User
Understanding
Site Goals
Definition
& Design
How that works
Build & Test
Use the toolkit to
identify which PET
principles fit with
your stated goals
and then look to
implement in your
definition work

17. PET Toolkit

18. Persuasion
The following summary describes some of the Persuasion techniques.
Anchoring. When making decisions we rely too heavily on one piece of information or
anchor.
Authority. Use your authority and others will obey.
Completion. We need to complete that which is started.
Commitment. If we make a commitment, we often feel bound to follow through on it
Consistency. We like to maintain consistency between what we think, say and do.
Contrast. We notice and decide by difference between two things, not absolutes.
Framing. Our perception is influenced by the information we are presented.
Investment. If I have invested in something, I do not want to waste that investment.
Reciprocation. If I give something to you, you are obliged to return the favour
Repetition. If something happens often enough, I will eventually be persuaded.
Scarcity. I want now what I may not be able to get in the future.
Similarity. We trust people who are like us or who are similar to people we like.
Social Proof. When uncertain we take cues other people

19. Consistency
We like to maintain consistency
between what we think, say and do

20. Consistency
• Ask someone to state a position, declare their intentions or
show a small gesture of support
• Why? Because people don’t like to be seen to change their
mind
• People will generally act in a manner consistent with their first
action
• And here's the stinger: this applies even if a subsequent
request asks them to make a much larger commitment – as
long as it's consistent with their initial commitment

21. First you get an
amount

22. Then you ask them
to commit & enter
their details
Repeat the amount throughout
the process to remind them of
their initial pledge

23. Contrast
When scanning visual information
we are unconsciously drawn
towards things which stand out
from others

25. Contrast
• What do you want people to focus on?
• Use colour, shapes and sizes to create visual contrast
• Subtle movements on an otherwise static page grab attention
• Contrast can also be applied to time
• Regular vs. Intermittent/occasional email newsletters

26. Framing
Our perception is influenced
by the information we are
presented.

27. Framing
• For difficult or important concepts, wrapping the
action in a story can make it easier to understand
and more persuasive
• Framing subscriptions or regular payments as costing
“less than a cup of coffee a day” can help people
rationalise repeat payments

28. Examples of how your
money will be used

29. Scarcity
I want now what I may not be
able to get in the future

30. Scarcity
• We infer value in something that has limited availability
or is promoted as being scarce
• Can apply to goods or time-based offers

31. Offer applies this
weekend only

32. WARNING: Overuse can
devalue this technique

33. Social
Proof
People will do things that they
see other people are doing

34. Other people
are doing it, so
it must be legit

35. Even people you know are
doing it, so it must be GOOD

36. Emotion
The following summary describes some of the Emotion principles.
Visceral processing. We immediately react to pleasing visual stimuli.
Behavioural processing. We respond favourably to learned, expected behaviours.
Aesthetic usability. Aesthetically pleasing designs are often perceived to be easier to use.
Arousal. When aroused we are fully engaged and hence more likely to pay attention
Social contagion. Our emotions are affected by the actions of those we see around us.
Optimal level of challenge. We like to be challenged and tested, but not too much.
Goal setting. We are compelled to strive to achieve a goal if it is achievable.
Knowledge of results. We continue our actions if we are shown evidence of their success.

37. Visceral
processing
We immediately react to
pleasing visual stimuli

39. Visceral processing
• Add surprise, delight and playful elements to create an emotional
bond with your audience
• Find subtle ways to add illustrative imagery, interactions, visual
cues and visual feedback
• These can brighten up routine tasks and feel like rewards when
discovered
• Can reinforce Framing

40. Behavioral
processing
We respond favourably to
learned, expected behaviours

41. Behavioral processing
• If it works like something we already know, it feels easier and we
like it more
• Learning how to use something new shouldn’t be hard work
• One of the useful side-effects of Facebook’s ubiquity
• Facebook, Amazon and eBay have set expectations for complex
interactions such as image uploading, rating, liking, commenting
• Learned interactions you can re-use
• Creates self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment
• Increased adoption, usage rates & satisfaction due to familiarity

43. Aesthetic
usability
Aesthetically pleasing designs are
often perceived to be easier to use

44. Aesthetic usability
• Attractive things work better
• Or at least we perceive them to be easier to use
• Opinions based on visual stimuli happen very quickly
• This “first impression” can shape your perceptions
• The halo effect

47. Optimal
level of
challenge
We like to be challenged and
tested, but not too much.

48. Optimal level of challenge
• Game design – starts simple but gets harder as you progress
• A game can live or die by getting this difficulty curve correct
• Can create sense of achievement by making that process a
little trickier
• Not appropriate for all cases!

50. Trust
Trust is influenced by a combination of factors which act as Trust Markers.
Design quality. We perceive value in the things we see.
Current content. Up-to-date content indicates freshness and responsiveness.
Extensive quality content. We trust an authority that is plentiful with knowledgeable.
Links. We judge other based on their recommendations and affiliations.
Certifications. We trust established, certified organisations and trademarks.
Testimonials. We trust organisations who trust and value their customers opinions
Famous people and common people. I trust people like me, and celebrities I admire.
Peer advice. We trust our peers more than we do official marketing bumf.
Argue against self interest. We trust recommendations that are not in self interest.
Technology. We always expect technology to work, trust is damaged if it does not.

51. Certifications
We trust established, certified
organisations and trademarks

52. Security messaging
Accepted payment methods

53. Technology
We always expect technology
to work, trust is damaged if it
does not

55. Case Study
First TransPennine Express

56. Overview of TPE as a client

57. Their original site

58. Our first revision

59. Re-brand & re-work

60. Context-aware mobile site

61. We’ve had some great results
Year One Year Two Year Three
50% increase in
return visits
135% increase in
online sales
Year Four
Travel Website of the
year 2009 (DADIs)
80% increase in
online sales
103% increase in
online ticket sales
Doubled customer
database to 150,000
45% increase in
online sales

62. Let’s see some PET techniques in action

63. The basic advert. Usable
but not inspiring

64. Price - OPTIMUM LEVEL
OF DISSONANCE and
CONTRAST

65. By-line – the wording draws the user in,
creating engagement, DRIVE
FULFILLMENT, FRAMING and FEEL GOOD.
It also uses elements of OVERSTATING THE
NEGATIVE IMPACT of not doing something

66. Call to action - implies
SCARCITY or LIMITED
DURATION
Design elements - CONTRAST
and VISCERAL PROCESSING

67. Official event logo –
adds VISUAL APPEAL
and CONTRAST, and
serves as a TRUST
MARKER

68. Change the branded imagery – using people adds
FRAMING (and elements of SOCIAL PROOF) and
builds on VISCERAL PROCESSING
Example of
typical savings
allows the brain
to calculate the
worth and value
of the price

69. Show the offer’s expiry date –
compliments the call to action and
the savings message to reinforce
SCARCITY and LIMITED DURATION

70. The original Our new PET-enhanced
version

71. The power of
the Dark Side
Image credit:
Lucasfilm

72. Evil by design…
• There’s a difference between BAD UX and EVIL UX
• Bad UX can be down to poor attention to detail,
laziness, lack of understanding of the web
• Evil UX (boo hiss!) is completely the opposite…

73. Evil UX
• It’s done by people who sit in chairs like this
• No, honestly!
• Evil UX is deliberately crafted with
loving care
• Utilises an understanding of human
nature and psychology
• Specifically designed to fool, trick
or exploit users
• Examples of this exist on the web,
in software and even in the real world
Image credit:
Suck.uk.com

74. The box around this content
uses a technique called
Uniform Connectedness
And placing this optional
extra in with compulsory
passenger information is a
technique called Proximity
Travel insurance
Note how the
instructions for removing
insurance are OPT OUT,
convoluted and located
AFTER the option

75. Here’s the option to
select no insurance -
In between LATVIA
and LITHUANIA

76. Image credit:
nytimes.com
Facebook’s
privacy statement

77. OMG!! That would
be a disaster…
…IF either of these
things happened…
…and the
standard password
reminder service
didn’t work.
Skip this step

78. The (Don’t) Contact Us page
• Offering a feedback form but no other contact details
• Means the user has no record of contacting you, giving you
plausible deniability
• They cannot chase you up any other way
• There’s no context to subsequent correspondence
• Every follow-up must be done through the
feedback form & feels like yet another first approach

80. Link to opt out is
hidden behind a
‘more info’ link
Image credit:
darkpatterns.org

81. Opt out
Opt in
Compulsory
Image credit:
darkpatterns.org

82. Facilitates activities:
Browse
Search
Consume
Comprehend
Interact
In Summary
Usability
Can Do
PET
Will Do
Encourages users to:
Engage
Connect
Convert
Return

83. Further Reading
• Human Factors International – pioneers of PET
http://www.humanfactors.com/
• Mental Notes – Persuasion reference cards
http://getmentalnotes.com/
• Changing Minds – Persuasion principles
http://changingminds.org/principles/principles.htm
• What makes them click?
http://www.whatmakesthemclick.net
• Dark Patterns – Examples of Evil UX in the wild
http://wiki.darkpatterns.org/

85. Thank you
Any questions?