This document discusses how interaction designers shape brands through the digital experiences they create, even if they are not consciously trying to do so. It argues that as touchpoints become increasingly digital, brand value is mainly created through interactive experiences. The document then provides three areas where designers can consciously integrate brand considerations into their work: 1) Understand how brand perceptions influence design and measure how experiences impact perception; 2) Create unique brand personalities through coherent interactions; 3) Explore new product/service opportunities that strengthen the brand. Designers are encouraged to use brand research, principles, and personas to make experience decisions that benefit both users and the brand.

1. Why you‘rea Brand Shaper
[knowingly or not]
andwhat youcando about it
Rupert Platz | @r000pert | #IxDABerlin | 19.11.2014

2. The b-word:
What is a brand?
2

3. A brandrepresents a product, a
service, oran organisation.

4. But a brandisnot what‘swrittenin
thestyleguide.
designtagebuch.de/wiki/corporate-design-manuals/

5. Nor all thecheesyemostuff toldin
brandcampaigns.
(watch this for a
good laugh)
Generic brand video: youtube.com/watch?v=2YBtspm8j8M

6. „A brandis a person‘sgut feeling
about a product, a service, oran
organisation.“
Marty Neumeier
slideshare.net/coolstuff/the-brand-gap

7. Translated to high-brow UX jargon:
A brandis a person‘smental model
of a product, a service, oran
organisation.

8. Simply put:
„A brandisnot whatyousay it is.
It‘swhat theysayit is.“
Marty Neumeier
slideshare.net/coolstuff/the-brand-gap

9. Brand perceptions create substantial value.
millwardbrown.com/brandz, interbrand.com/best-global-brands

10. Brand Value = Financial Value x Brand Attribution
Brand attribution
Rational factors
millwardbrown.com/brandz, interbrand.com/best-global-brands

11. [and this does not just apply to the elephants …]
slideshare.net/coolstuff/the-brand-gap

12. Organisations try to influence brand perception.
Portfolio Management
Product development
Brand Design
Advertising
Agenda Setting / PR
etc.

13. But brand promisemay = actual experience.
werbeblogger.de/2011/03/02/mcdonalds-mcdouble-falschung-und-original/

14. Aspired brand image = actual brand perception.
brandtags.com

15. So whathasall of this todo with
User Experience Design?
15

16. Brand perceptions evolve over time
from touchpoint to touchpoint.
Heard a
friend
mention
Saw ad
on TV
Researched,
went to
website
Went to
store &
purchased
Went to
support site
for help
Read
article in
magazine
1 2 3 4 5
– +
5

17. Interactive experiences leave deepermarks than
passive one-way information.
1 2 3 4 5 5
Heard a
friend
mention
– +
Saw ad
on TV
Researched,
went to
website
Went to
store &
purchased
Went to
support site
for help
Read
article in
magazine

18. Touchpoints have become less static & physical.
2005
• PC Website
• Retail store
• Physical products
• Service Hotline
• Promotion teams
• etc.
2015
• Responsive website, app
• E-Commerce platform
• [Semi-]digital services
• Online support platform
• GPS based push offers
• etc.

19. So brandvalueismainly
createdthrough interactive
experiences thatare
increasinglydigital.

20. Which means:
As an interactiondesigner,
youalmostcannot
not [co-]shapebrands.

21. So how come the brand ismissing in almost all
of our frameworks?

22. Howcanweintegratethe
concept of „brand“
consciously in ourwork in a
meaningfulway?
22

23. 1
Understand / set
goals / measure
2
Differentiate
3
Enter new fields
Thee fields of potential:

24. 1. Understand/ setgoals /
measure:
Brand as researchfactor.
24

25. How will brand gut feeling influence user experience?

26. And, vice versa: how will the user experience
change brand perception?
Read Start Search Pick Book Confirm
article
2 3
Arrive at
airport

27. Understandingusers‘ context
& behaviouralso means
understandingtheir
brandgut feelings.

28. What this couldmean for design research:
• Make brand perception a
part of persona development
• Brand sentiment data and
other planner / brand
strategy research insights
can be valuable!
• Investigate user‘s attitude
towards the brand before
and after user testing
Wouter, 46 - Friend of the environment
Needs:
Expectations:
Goals:
Brand attitudes:

29. Measuring design success: Net Promoter Score
should be as important as conversion, stickyness etc.
How likely are you to recommend brand [X] to a friend/ colleague/ relative?
measuringu.com/usability-loyalty.php
autodeskresearch.com/pdf/2012%20NPS%20Bradner%20Sauro.pdf

30. Know what [and if] you want to change.
Brand perception
prior to use: Altered:
+
Positive /
Promoters
–
Negative /
Detractors
„Even better
than I thought.
Wow.“
„Disappoints
me.“
„Hey, not that
bad after all.“
„Even worse
than I thought.“
+
–
+
–
Expanded:
„Cool. I never
saw them that
way.“
„Confusing.
Not what they
stand for.“
„Cool. I never
saw them that
way.“
„Confusing.
Not what they
stand for.“
+
–
+
–
Reinforced:
„Great,
just as I
expected.“
„Crappy as
always.“
=
=

31. 2. Makea difference:
Create uniquepersonality
throughinteraction.
31

32. „Everybodybuilds thesame
stuff thanks tocustomer
orientation.“
Torsten Hensel, Greenkern
slideshare.net/slidesbynouve/lean-startups-spinning-straw-into-gold

33. User Centered Design is no unique selling proposition anymore:
Ifeverybody solves
thesame problem
for thesame user segment
in thesame user-centeredway,
whatwill makeour solution
stand out?

34. Two competitors that deliver great UX –
but do you feel any difference?

35. [no, this is not what I meant.]

36. Styleguides grant consistency.
Yes, it is essential to have
common, recognizable
• Logos
• Colors, shapes, fonts
• Image language
• Wordings
• etc.
36

37. But in an interactivemedium,
brandsaremoreabouthowthey
behavethanhowtheylook like.

38. 1st dimension: Consistency.
Recognizable & distinguishable outward appearance

39. 2nd dimension: Coherence.
Overall understandable behaviour in different contexts

40. Brand experiences shouldn‘t feel schizophrenic.
When different people design multiple brand touchpoints,
usersmay encounter a split personality …
mytaxi.com

41. How can wemake a brand personality tangible,
when all we have is some generic feedgood values?
41
pterisglobal.com/brand_personality.html

42. 42
We need design principles derived from user insights
and brand values.
slideshare.net/mrtimothyloo/the-brand-experience-gap

43. „Hello, we‘re [brandX].
We‘re trustworthyandempowering.“

44. Turn brand values into actionable design principles.
How do we translate trustworthy
or empowering into …
• Information depth?
• Choice of options?
• Degree of control?
• Input feedback?
• Animationes & Transitions?
• Performance & loading time?
44
(highly
recommended)
Simyo Brand-Filter, taken from the book Marco Spies, Branded Interactions

45. Two kinds of brand-derived design principles:
45
Mandatory / generic principles
• Should be obeyed by anyone
to avoid bad UX
• But wil also contradict your
values & hurt your brand
if not followed
Differentiating principles
• Unique, because only your
brand handles things this way
• Can strenghten your brand
and set it apart if followed

46. „Trustworthy“ brand interaction principles:
46
Mandatory / generic:
• Make information easy to find
• Makemenu wordings
self-explanatory
• Give clear feedback to
user input
• Nomeaningless, fast animations
Differentiating:
• Require as little user data as
possible
• No fake social proof &
testimonials
• Stick to familiar interaction
patterns [avoid experiments]
• Explicit verification of user
actions [ask for „OK“]

47. „Empowering“ brand interaction principles:
47
Mandatory / generic:
• Optimize for speed &
performance
[waiting deprives of power]
• Optimize for touch
[give feeling of direct control]
• Alwaysmake clear what will
happen after next click / tap
Differentiating:
• Don‘t force users down narrow
paths
• Don‘t over-simplify & deprive
of options
• Don‘t patronize – help users do
it themselves
• Detailled information is always
at hand when needed

48. 3. Enter newfields:
Features, services, products, …
48

49. Brand Extension: Same brand, new category.
Clothing label Railway company Beer brewer Food retailer

50. Service Design is great for exploring new fields.
adaptivepath.com/ideas/the-anatomy-of-an-experience-map/

51. Service ideas filter: Will it strenghen or hurt our brand?
Package tours
with flight &
accomodation?
Online market
place for used
vintage watches?
Data encryption
package for
premium users?

52. Service ideas filter: Will it strenghen or hurt our brand?
Package tours
with flight &
accomodation?
Online market
place for used
vintage watches?
Data encryption
package for
premium users?
Brand stands for
individual, authentic
travel
Brand stands for
exclusiveness and
perfectionism
Brand stands for
convenience,
but not for privacy

53. Brand Persona: Create an actionable character …
53
Brand X: The trustworthy empowerer
Age, gender:
Character traits :
Convictions:
Interaction style:
Persona attitudes:

54. … and let it interact with your user personas.
54
Wouter, 46: The eco-friend
Needs:
Expectations:
Goals:
Brand attitudes:
Brand X: The trustworthy empowerer
Age, gender:
Character traits :
Convictions:
Interaction style:
Persona attitudes:

55. [Brand persona classic: The „Get a Mac“ campaign]
55
I’m a PC. I’m a Mac.
adweek.com/adfreak/apples-get-mac-complete-campaign-130552

56. Youcanusethebrand
perspectivetomakesound
experiencedesign decisions.

57. Three questions to take some of the guesswork out:
1
Understand / set
goals / measure
2
Differentiate
3
Enter new fields
Are we successful
in fostering brand
value?
If we design it this way,
will it feel coherent
and unique?
If we build this, will
it expand or blur
brand perception?

58. The challenge on all levels: Hitting the sweet spot.
Users
Business Goals Technology Is it
Brand
feasible?
Do people find it relevant,
usable & delightful?
Does it strenghen
our brand?
Does it help
us perform?

59. Brand UXD?
59

60. Seperate disciplines …
User
Centered
Design
Brand
Mgmt
Application
Interface
Usability
Values
Messages
Styleguide

61. … have evolved & widened their horizon …
User
Centered
Design
Brand
Mgmt
Touchpoints
Context
Emotion
Application
Interface
Usability
Values
Messages
Styleguide

62. … on both sides …
User
Centered
Design
Brand
Mgmt
Touchpoints
Context
Emotion
Application
Interface
Usability
Values
Messages
Styleguide
Behaviour
Interaction
Relevance

63. … and we‘re all in the „gut feeling“ business after all.
Erlebnis,
Gesamtkontext,
Emotion
User
Centered
Design
Brand
Mgmt
Touchpoints
Context
Emotion
Application
Interface
Usability
Values
Messages
Styleguide
Experience
Behaviour
Interaction
Relevance

64. Don‘t just follow styleguides –
be aware of your brand shaping powers.
artofmanliness.com/2013/04/09/to-succeed-in-work-and-life-be-mr-t/

65. And broaden your t-shaped skill profile :-)
Product
Management
Coding &
Programming
Information
Architecture
Cognitive
Psychology
User
research
Brand
strategy
Experience design skills
Interaction
Design

66. Thanks for listening!
twitter.com/r000pert
xing.com/profile/Rupert_Platz
linkedin.com/in/rupertplatz