The Blink Test
Great designs connect us emotionally to a product. Within milliseconds, we form opinions that influence our engagement and understanding of what we see. The longer we are exposed to something, the more we grow to like it and the farther we move away from our original gut reaction. It’s called the “Mere Exposure Effect.”
As designers, we often look to the user for answers. Leah Buley argues that relying on customer data alone, “squanders [an] opportunity to foster an environment where we talk about the design together and we put forth strong points of view about what good looks like.”
This is the point when we need to get back to our gut instincts. Leah has an approach that she uses called “The Blink Test” to harness that initial impression we have and to observe what it tells us.
Close your eyes, step back, and take a moment. Then open your eyes and listen to what you are feeling. Observe that first moment and ask yourself the following questions:
- What do I notice?
- How does this feel?
- Is this prototypical?
- What can I do?