I’m sure you’ve been told that emotions are an important element of design and CX projects, but what of moods?

We are always in some kind of mood, and arguably — since they provide the backdrop to our lives — moods are far more important than emotions, yet the latter hogs the limelight.

Perhaps people assume that moods are too mercurial to be worth considering. Can you really design with mood in mind? The answer is yes. Not only that, the primary role of many products and services is actually mood regulation.

According to psychologist Robert E. Thayer — an authority on the topic — the entire mood spectrum is underpinned by the interplay of two variables: our energy and tension levels; the optimum mood being calm yet energized.

Most habitual behaviors move us in this direction by affecting either or both factors. Drinking coffee or alcohol, exercising, or checking social media are common mood management strategies, for example.

The CX and design implications are fascinating, in part explaining why low effort, low stress experiences are highly preferable — principles I explored in my first book. In retrospect it's unsurprising that these two principles (along with expectation management) have had the broadest and most successful application on client projects since.

See this post on LinkedIn