So the other day I opened an old notes app and I actually smiled. For real. It had this dumb animation that popped up when I finished writing. And I remembered that tiny little bounce more than the features it had. Weird? Nah. That’s the stuff that sticks. That’s user experience with soul, kinda.
Developing stuff people remember… it’s not just about working code or big features. It’s the in-between things that kinda cling to the brain. Accidental emotions. Unexpected grins. I don’t chase perfection—I chase that “oooh” moment.
Feeling First, Functions After.
Let me tell ya—humans? They don’t wake up wishing for features. They want something to feel good. Or safe. Or like someone finally gets it.
So what I do? I ask stuff like “What does this even feel like to use at 2AM with low battery and brain mush?” If it makes me frustrated in my own testing—I ditch it or soften it. That’s it.
Roadmaps? Yeah, I’ve seen ‘em. Got bored of ‘em too.
Every Button Tells a Story…or Shouts One.
Not even kidding—buttons scream. They either say “click me if you dare” or “I’ll take care of you.” You think I’m exaggerating? Try changing a font weight and tell me it doesn’t change the whole tone.
I once made a submit button wiggle if you hovered over it too long. People emailed me. Not mad. Just delighted. Who gets delighted by a submit button? Someone who remembers it, that’s who.
Flow Ain’t Just for Water
If a thing’s jumpy, janky, or stiff? People bounce faster than a toddler on sugar.
Transitions need to feel like they belong there. Doesn’t mean fancy. Doesn’t even mean animation. It just means like, don’t slap folks with a harsh cut unless it makes emotional sense.
Sometimes I add a .3s delay for no reason except “it breathes better.” That’s art, not science, okay?
Be Weird in the Right Places
Structure’s good. Guidelines? Also good. But I’ll be real with you—predictability is the enemy of memory.
You gotta build the trust first. And then break it. Just a little. Maybe your 404 page makes a bad pun. Or your loading screen tells a joke only 3 people will get. But those 3? They’ll never forget you.
One time I made a form say “We believe in you” under the submit button. Corny? Absolutely. But folks screenshotted it. So, win.
Animations? Feelings in Disguise.
Oh man. Animations. I live for these. Not the obnoxious “look at me” kind. I mean the quiet lil’ helpers. The ones that say “yes, you clicked this, and yes, it worked.”
There’s this feedback glow I coded once. Just a faint pulse on success. Barely there. But folks noticed. Said it felt reassuring.
That’s what I’m here for. Reassuring glows and bouncey joy pixels.
Talk Like a Person, Not a Privacy Policy
I hate robot language. I avoid it like bad wi-fi.
If your app sounds like a contract, no one remembers it. Make your tooltips friendly. Let your error messages apologize. Add just a tiny bit of warmth.
I once wrote “Oops, we tripped. It’s not you.” for a crash dialog. Someone told me it made them laugh right before a big meeting. They remembered that moment.
Humans crave personality. Give ‘em yours.
What’s Fast? What’s Feels Fast?
Here’s the thing—speed is perception, not just numbers.
Your app might load in 0.8 seconds. But if it feels like waiting in line behind a guy with coupons? That’s slow.
I mask loading with lil’ animations. Keep the brain busy. People don’t even notice the time if they’re entertained or reassured. That’s psychological sorcery, I swear.
Make Broken Things Funny or Kind (Or Both)
Stuff’s gonna break. That’s life. So I plan for it.
I’ve seen devs put “ERROR CODE 302-B” and call it a day. Nah man. Make that error message your moment. Be real. Be funny. Be comforting.
“Something exploded. Probably not your fault.” That’s one I used once. Got laughs. Got tweets. Got remembered.
Design For When They’re Tired, Sad, or Late
Not every user is happy and caffeinated. Some folks use your thing at the end of a long day. Or while waiting on a bus. Or right after bad news.
So yeah. Make your app soft. Kind. Not loud or demanding. Buttons need to forgive mistakes. Text needs to breathe.
Design like you’re offering a warm drink, not a pop quiz.
Don’t Forget the Invisible Things
The best things I ever built? Users didn’t even notice them.
They just felt better using the product. That subtle scroll resistance. That easing curve on modal popups. The gentle tone of confirmation emails.
Invisible glue. That’s the good stuff.
Metrics Can’t Measure Vibes (But Still Try)
Okay, analytics. You need ‘em. But you also need vibes.
If someone comes back again and again, don’t assume it’s just because the tool’s “useful.” Maybe it’s because it made them feel competent. Or safe. Or seen.
Ask weird questions on feedback forms like “Did this feel like a hug or a handshake?” You’d be surprised how useful those answers are.
Memory Is the Real Deliverable
Look, you can launch a perfect app and still be forgotten by Tuesday. But if you build something that feels like a tiny celebration of the user? They’ll remember you.
Make them smile. Make them relax. Make them feel like the app understands them, somehow.
That’s the goal. Not just usable. Not even just delightful.
Memorable.
The kind of memorable that sneaks up on ‘em weeks later. That’s the stuff I build for.
Also, you can learn more about Developing for Emotional Impact here.