{"id":8265,"date":"2019-02-08T13:37:02","date_gmt":"2019-02-08T18:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brainstation.io\/?p=8265"},"modified":"2020-05-19T12:41:11","modified_gmt":"2020-05-19T16:41:11","slug":"always-be-plussing-user-experience-design-lessons-from-walt-disney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/always-be-plussing-user-experience-design-lessons-from-walt-disney","title":{"rendered":"Always be Plussing: User Experience Design Lessons From Walt Disney"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the 1990s, psychologist and designer Don Norman gave user experience (UX) design a name \u2014 but it was long before that when Walt Disney assembled a design team (dubbed Imagineers) to create magical experiences for amusement park guests. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the late 1960s, Walt Disney was in the early stages of designing Walt Disney World in Florida and described his vision for the park as \u201can experimental prototype that is always in the state of becoming, a place where the latest technology can be used to improve the lives of people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

More than fifty years later, Disney\u2019s words can be used to describe the evolving field of <\/span>UX design<\/span><\/a>: the process of creating digital products and experiences that are relevant, and meaningful to the user by considering the what, why, and how.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some of the best practices Disney\u2019s team of Imagineers follows when designing new parks and products, and how you can apply those practices to UX design today. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Become a UX Designer in just 12 weeks!<\/p>\n

BrainStation’s User Experience Diploma Program<\/a> is a full-time, 12-week program that equips professionals with the skills and experience to start a new career in design.<\/p>\n

Speak to a Learning Advisor<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Always be \u201cPlussing\u201d<\/b><\/h2>\n

Disney parks are known for delivering positive customer experiences, and that\u2019s no small feat when you\u2019re hosting as many as 150 million guests a year. To create the best possible experience for guests, Disney pushed his staff to go above and beyond expectations. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He called this \u201cplussing,\u201d which was the idea of constantly improving details to improve the overall experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, when Disney Imagineers can\u2019t find the technology they need, they invent it. Disney\u2019s <\/span>Imagineering<\/span><\/a> department holds more than 100 patents in special effects, ride systems, interactive technology, live entertainment, fiber optics, and advanced audio systems. <\/span><\/p>\n

Apply the \u201cplussing it\u201d attitude to UX design by taking a \u201cyes, and…\u201d instead of a \u201cno, but…\u201d approach and asking yourself questions like: How could I make this better? What could I do if there were no restrictions? How can I take this solution to the next level?<\/span><\/p>\n

Sketch Out a Storyboard <\/b><\/h2>\n

Most UX researchers or designers have experience sketching out a persona or a wireframe on paper or in a program like Sketch. <\/span>Storyboarding<\/span><\/a>, created by <\/span>Walt Disney studios during the early 1930s, <\/span>takes sketching to the next level by combining personas and wireframes. <\/span><\/p>\n

Storyboards are memorable, engaging and can help us empathize with a persona, and that can be a powerful tool when communicating insights, new ideas, or data to a client or design team. Plus, they\u2019re another cheap way to catch design mistakes early on. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Develop a storyboard by picking a persona or character, dropping that character into a scene and then adding a few plot details that might affect the way the character interacts with the product \u2014 you might uncover new insights that will improve the user experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Use Data to Create Magic <\/b><\/h2>\n

Long before data analysis became a must for businesses, Disney looked at traffic patterns and sales data to tinker with things like the number of ice cream stands and queue designs, making him one of the first people to make data-driven business decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, Disney uses a colorful, data-collecting wristband called a MagicBand <\/span>that can unlock your hotel room, buy food or merchandise with a tap, and map out the best route based on which rides you want to visit, and how busy the park is. The MagicBand even helps customers skip the worst part about visiting an amusement park: waiting in lines. <\/span><\/p>\n

Most importantly, according to Disney, collecting customer data doesn\u2019t take any effort from park-goers <\/span>\u2014<\/span> it works \u201cjust like magic.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Personalization is at the heart of UX design and Disney\u2019s MagicBand is an example of how data-based personalization can lead to a magical experience for the customer by creating a unique user experience catered to every single user.<\/span><\/p>\n

UX Designers can follow Disney\u2019s lead by thinking about ways to integrate artificial intelligence and automated data-based decision making into the design process. <\/span>
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Learn design skills to boost your career \u2013 from home!<\/p>\n

BrainStation offers Online Live Certificate Courses<\/a> in UX design, UI design, and design thinking. Attend live classes and interact with peers and expert Instructors from anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n

Speak to a Learning Advisor<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Design Memorable Moments <\/b><\/h2>\n

Disney is known for making unexpected memorable moments. <\/span><\/p>\n

Staff is empowered to go above and beyond to solve problems in a memorable way (Disney even offers a <\/span>service training institute<\/span><\/a> for hire), and typically tedious experiences like parking the car or standing in line for a ride are transformed into memorable moments by design.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, some line-ups at Disney offer hands-on activities kids can do while waiting. Disney also recently launched a <\/span>new app<\/span><\/a> with activities customers can do while traveling to a Disney park or waiting in line for a ride (for example, test your skills through virtual training missions while waiting to ride Space Mountain).<\/span><\/p>\n

UX Designers and Researchers can follow Disney\u2019s lead by paying attention to those not-so-exciting moments (like entering your name, or <\/span>waiting for an order to arrive<\/span><\/a>) and asking: What could transform this experience from menial to memorable?<\/span><\/p>\n

Interested in learning more about UX? Check out what <\/span><\/i>skills a UX Designer needs<\/span><\/i><\/a> and find more out more about BrainStation\u2019s <\/span><\/i>UX Design courses<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There’s a lot you can learn about UX design from the man behind the mouse. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":8266,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[290,158,157],"tags":[648,546,112,122,752],"yoast_head":"\nAlways be Plussing: User Experience Design Lessons from Walt Disney<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Disney\u2019s team of Imagineers follows a number of best practices to design new parks and products, and these were put in motion by Walt Disney himself. 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