Start with Why in UX Design
A few years ago, I came across a TED Talk by author Simon Sinek. Some time later, during my studies, I started to see a connection between what we do as UX designers and the idea Sinek presented.
Start with Why
Most companies know what they do and how they do it, but few know why. Some of the world’s most successful companies, like IKEA, Nike, and Apple follows their purpose, and their customers feel it. Let’s take a closer look at IKEA.
IKEA
Why: To create a better everyday life for the many people
How: Low prices, self-service, clear design
What: Furniture and home furnishings
Everything IKEA does is shaped by their “why,” and people can feel it. It’s evident in their communication, where you get a sense that IKEA is helping ordinary people have a better everyday life with smart solutions for the home. Secondary is the furnitures themselves, its what they enable people to do that is in focus.
It’s not just customers who feel IKEA’s motivations. Employees who believe in the purpose are intrinsically motivated, they go to work motivated to contribute to the purpose. Which leads to a better experience for customers who, in turn, recommend the brand to their friends and become loyal to the brand.
Why is that? Sinek suggests that the idea can be linked to how our brains work. In simplified terms, we can say that the brain can be divided into two parts: the gut feeling and the logical brain.
It’s the gut feeling that is convinced when you believe in the purpose, and the gut feeling is designed to make us act. It’s our older part of the brain that previously made us run when we saw a lion on the savannah. The rational brain, on the other hand, is good at comparing product specifications but not as good at driving action.
You know that feeling of walking around a store and no product feels right? You start comparing specifications and eventually leave the store overwhelmed. Or that product you just have to have but can’t explain why? It’s hard to put into words that gut feeling, yet it drives behavior.
Leets dive a bit deeper into how humans make decisions.
The Connection to Kahneman’s Thinking Systems
In his Book Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman describes the importance of understanding how people make decisions. Kahneman describes two thinking systems:
System 1: The fast, intuitive, and emotional system. This is what gives us gut feelings and quick answers.
System 2: The slow, rational, and analytical system. This is what we use when we need to think carefully and weigh different options.
When a company effectively communicates its “why,” it appeals to the customer’s System 1. It evokes emotions and intuitions that create an immediate connection to the brand and product.
Emotional Connection: By tapping into feelings like passion, inspiration, or belonging, a stronger bond with the brand is formed.
Quick Decisions: When customers feel an instant connection to the company’s why, they are more likely to make a purchase without needing to analyze all the details.
Designing for the root cause
As UX designers, we already start with why to some extent. Asking the “why” is at the core of all design.
Why does the company want to create an app?
Why do users behave the way they do?
Why are they motivated to act in certain ways?
Why do they have certain needs?
Why do they want to achieve their goals?
By understanding the underlying reasons behind user behavior, we can design products that address the root cause rather than just the symptoms. This approach increases the chances of creating a product that truly benefits the user. And the user will most likely notice if your intentions are good, if the product is designed to help them.
When a products usability is bad it reflects poorly on the company’s motivations.
Customers sense companies motivations
Humans have a kind of sensitivity — through their gut feelings — that signals when a product genuinely has their best interests at heart. When a products usability is bad it reflects poorly on the company’s motivations. It can seem like they only wanted to make money without caring about the end-user. You’ve probably experienced poor service at a restaurant or store, where you didn’t feel valued by the staff. There’s a reason service is so important — the same negative feelings can arise from software.
Restaurants that succeed in the long run deliver both good food and excellent service. And the best ones touches you in a deeper way, you might feel intrinsically motivated to go there, maybe you feel at home at their table, or know the staff. It feels just right. Its all a result of your values resonating with theirs. The same goes for software when we find something that we believe in, more so for innovators and early adopters but that is another story.
How to start with why
Sinek uses a model called “The Golden Circle” to illustrate this idea. The circle has three layers:
Why: The purpose, belief, or values that drive the organization.
How: The methods and processes used to achieve the purpose.
What: The products or services offered.
Most companies start by communicating what they do, then how they do it, and often forget to explain why. Sinek argues that the most successful companies start with why and work outward.
Example for a mindfulness app:
Why: We believe everyone deserves to live a more mindful and peaceful life. Through mindfulness, we want to help people reduce stress, increase self-awareness, and find more balance in their daily lives.
How: We offer simple and practical tools for mindfulness, such as breathing exercises, meditation, and body scanning. Our courses are led by experienced instructors in a safe and supportive environment.
What: We offer both group courses and individual sessions in mindfulness. We’ve also developed an app with guided meditations to make mindfulness accessible anytime, anywhere.
Now imagine starting the other way around, starting with: “We offer both group courses and individual sessions in mindfulness.” It’s not as inspiring, right?
Applying The Golden Circle to UX
In Human Centered Design we start by asking why, just like the golden circle, but after that the order might be a bit different. While knowing why users have a problem we can start designing what the app should concist of and how it should look.
It’s easy to get caught up in the how and what of UX — what tools to use, or what users need or how they behave. But digging deeper to uncover the why can require more effort.
One method to go deeper is the “5 Whys” technique. A UX designer might use it to:
Identify root causes of user pain points, uncovering the underlying reasons behind these issues.
Identifying underlying motivations, uncovering the deeper reasons behind user behaviors and preferences
For example, if you have a meditation app and your “why” is “to help people reduce stress,” you could ask the following questions:
Why do people want to reduce stress? (To feel better.)
Why do people want to feel better? (To live a more fulfilling life.)
Why do people want to live a more fulfilling life? (To feel happier and more content.)
Why do people want to feel happier and more content? (To find meaning in life.)
Why is finding meaning in life important? (To feel more connected and engaged with the world.)
Once you reach the core reason, you can design the product to address the fundamental need.
Community: Design features that promote interaction and community among users. This could include forums, chats, or events where users can share experiences and support each other.
Purpose: Allow users to feel they are contributing to something bigger. For instance, a charity app could show how users’ donations make a concrete difference.
Personalization: Make users feel seen and understood by tailoring content and recommendations to their individual needs and interests.
First Principles Thinking
By using the 5 Whys to drill down to the root cause of a problem, you can effectively combine this technique with first principles thinking. First principles thinking involves starting with the most fundamental truths and building up a solution from these basic principles, free from existing assumptions or solutions.
For example:
Problem: Customers often add items to their cart but don’t complete the purchase.
5 Whys:
Why don’t customers complete the purchase? (Perhaps they encounter unexpected costs at checkout.)
Why are the costs unexpected? (Maybe shipping costs aren’t clearly stated earlier in the process.)
Why aren’t shipping costs clear? (They’re shown only at checkout and not included in the product price.)
Why aren’t shipping costs included in the product price? (The company wants to appear to have lower prices and adds the shipping cost later.)
Why does the company want to appear to have lower prices? (They believe it will attract more customers.)
First Principles Thinking:
Basic Principle: Customers should feel informed and confident throughout the buying process.
Solution:
Transparency: Clearly state all costs upfront.
Predictability: Allow customers to calculate the total cost before adding items to the cart.
Trust: Ensure customers feel secure about completing the purchase.
Conclusion
In the context of “Start with Why,” it represents a significant business opportunity for companies to design for users’ real needs. When users sense a company’s genuine motivations, they’re more likely to become loyal customers and share their positive experiences with friends and family — the best form of marketing.
It’s no coincidence that companies like Tesla and Apple have been so successful. Elon Musk is known for using first principles thinking, which has been a major factor in SpaceX’s success and its ability to revolutionize the space industry with innovative approaches to launching rockets.
Companies, of course, are motivated by profit — every business must be to survive. But when you buy an Apple product and experience a fantastic journey from purchase to support, it feels like they’re driven by something more. There is a lot of engineers motivated to join Tesla and SpaceX, which makes it easier for them to hire the best in the business, which makes better products and more satisfied customers. So the value for the business to start with why, or design products with a honest purpose greatly adds business value.
“Start with Why” is also an excellent approach to incorporate into your UX portfolio. Try starting by declaring why you are a UX designer — what your purpose is. Why you love what you do.