What is experiential design?

Design and experiences are terms that are used very broadly and it gets difficult to interpret the exact meaning of ‘Experiential Design’. To simplify this, let us consider what is the specific ‘Experience’ that we are talking about and what role ‘Design’ plays in shaping that.

An ‘Experience’ is made up of 2 components: (1) The observer: The person who has engaged their conscious mind in the experience and (2) The environment: The surroundings that build the perception of the experience and engage the observer’s attention. The interaction of the observer with the environment is what forms the said ‘Experience’.

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The experience is formed by the interaction of the observer with the environment.

From the everyday things we interact with subconsciously to the memories of our favorite moments with our loved ones, all are experiences that shape the personality we build and become a part of who we are. These experiences are either positive or negative, but the ones that are truly memorable are those which engage our conscious minds and make us feel something, strongly. They grab our attention and leave an impact on us.

Now while the component of the observer is completely subjective based on the thoughts, past experiences, and moods of the audience, the component of the environment can, and often is objective. This environment is thus programmable by design, to induce specific experiences for the observers in it. Knowing the observers’ subjective state of mind and the environment is, therefore, necessary to design experiences that leave a memorable impact on the audience.

The term ‘Experiential Design’ means to design experiences and interactions through events, spaces, communications, etc. in order to induce a specific emotional response with the audience involved and leave them with a memorable impact. These experiences can be one-time, long-term, or a part of daily routines and the nature of their design depends on it. Any well-designed experiences help grab the observers' attention, have a meaningful interaction with them, and engage them to make a place in their minds. They are useful to connect with audiences on a deeper level to gain their attention and make them feel something extraordinary.

- by Vyom Paknikar Founder | Sensoreal Enterprises