Beyond Functionality: Designing for Emotion in Digital Products

Emotional design is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of user experience (UX) design. We often focus solely on what our digital products do, forgetting about how our products make users feel. But when emotional design is done well, it becomes a powerful driver of user engagement, satisfaction, and long-term retention.

Written by Wei Ying Tan

When designing digital products, we often focus on functionality: ensuring users can navigate easily and accomplish their goals. Yet effective design goes beyond just making sure things work as they should.

Take toothpaste, for example. Back when toothpaste was first sold to the general public, it didn’t sell very well. It was only when mint flavouring was added that sales began to gain traction. However, the flavouring wasn’t added to make people’s mouths cleaner; it was added to make people feel like it’s cleaner. The mint itself doesn’t add any hygienic benefit, but the burst of freshness triggers an emotional response. By tapping into the simple but powerful feeling of being refreshed, toothpaste manufacturers created a sense of satisfaction that ultimately helped drive sales.

Emotions have a similar impact in digital design. Users genuinely connect with products when they are not just functional, but meaningful. Intentionally crafted experiences that evoke specific feelings keep users engaged and coming back for more.

Emotional Design in Action

How do we put emotional design into practice? We must first recognise that core emotions, while experienced universally, lead to very different user behaviours depending on industry and context. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at how different emotions play out in digital products.

Joy

Joy is one of the most uplifting and contagious emotions we can tap into. It makes people smile, lean in, and want to come back. But joy doesn’t always look the same. The difference lies in how it’s expressed to match the product’s purpose.

Joy as celebration

In e-commerce, joy can easily come from the buzz of a good deal. Shopee leans fully into this with its high-energy sales events, filling the screen with vibrant colours and playful animations. Shopee’s festive graphics create an atmosphere of a digital festival, turning shopping into a celebration. This keeps people interested and excited for the next big sale.

Design takeaway: When the context calls for it, let joy be loud. Put in a playful animation here, a burst of colour there, or a cheerful message that pops up just when it’s needed most. Use colour, motion, and playfulness to energise users and turn everyday interactions into events.

Joy as effortless charm

In other contexts, joy plays a more subtle, refined role. Smooth animations, thoughtful microinteractions , and small doses of humour bring a sense of lightness into otherwise serious workflows. This kind of joy increases emotional stickiness—the positive emotional connection that users form with a product—making them more likely to return, stay engaged, and develop brand loyalty. It also helps professional tools feel more human and less transactional.

Design takeaway: Joy doesn’t always have to be loud or flashy. Subtle details can create natural and meaningful moments that delight users without distracting from your product’s purpose. When bringing emotional design to life, always remember to consider your product’s goals and audience. Ensure that the emotion elicited feels authentic and serves a real purpose, rather than making users feel distracted and overwhelmed.

Trust

Trust might not feel as exciting as joy, but it’s just as poignant. It’s the quiet feeling that allows people to feel at ease in an unfamiliar space, including digital ones. Trust can be the difference between a user dropping off or taking the next step. And just like with joy, trust can look very different depending on the context.

Trust as a sense of control

Trust is created when users feel in control. Google’s Account Settings is a great example of how intentional design hands control back to the user. Instead of burying privacy tools or security features, Google makes them accessible and easy to manage.

From letting users review their ad preferences to providing dashboards for activity history, the interface breaks down complex topics into understandable chunks. Toggles, checklists, and contextual explanations make each choice feel intentional and reversible. This transparency helps users feel empowered rather than overwhelmed.

By putting users in the driver’s seat, Google creates an experience that says: “You’re in control. We’re just here to help.” And when people feel secure and confident navigating the platform, they’re naturally more likely to stick around and build a deeper relationship with the brand over time.

Design takeaway: By empowering users with control, you create a trustworthy experience that feels respectful and supportive . To build trust through a sense of control, design clear and transparent processes that guide users step-by-step. Use plain language to explain what’s happening, offer easy-to-find options for managing preferences, and make it simple to undo or change decisions.

Trust as emotional safety

In contexts like mental health, trust isn’t just about security or control, it’s about creating an environment that feels safe. When users feel seen, respected, and supported, they’re more likely to engage openly and return. mindline.sg, a mental well-being platform, offers mental health resources in a way that feels non-judgemental and private. Instead of overwhelming users with clinical terms or collecting data in an intrusive way, the platform uses conversational language that builds rapport while allowing users to remain anonymous. It meets them where they are, creating a quiet sense of safety. This emotionally attuned experience helps users feel that they’re not alone, which is a powerful foundation for trust.

Design takeaway: In sensitive contexts, trust grows from calm, welcoming, and non-intrusive experiences. Be open and clear about what users can expect, and show empathy through kind, understanding language. Whenever possible, anticipate possible user concerns and address them appropriately.

Urgency

Urgency is the last emotion we’re touching on. It is a powerful emotional driver that can inspire users to take action. But as with joy and trust, urgency isn’t one-size-fits-all. It can feel like an energising nudge or a call to act immediately. Understanding these different tones can help designers craft experiences that encourage timely action without overwhelming or alienating users.

Urgency as a catalyst

On travel booking sites like Booking.com, urgency is used to prompt quick decisions. Flash sales, countdown timers, and “only X seats left” messages create a sense of limited opportunity. Users thus feel the pressure to act fast and finalise bookings before deals expire or availability runs out. For brands, this translates into increased conversion rates.

Design takeaway: Use urgency to create a clear, time-sensitive call to action that motivates users to act swiftly when necessary. However, use it thoughtfully as unnecessary pressure or misleading information may break users’ trust and negatively impact brand perception.

Urgency as encouragement

Meanwhile, in other contexts, urgency is more gentle—nudging users to maintain a habit with daily reminders and streak trackers. This type of urgency supports positive habits without causing excessive stress or rush, while simultaneously driving user retention for the business.

One of the few occasions where the Owl is gentle and non-threatening.

Design takeaway: Urgency can be used as a motivating nudge by sending reminders and clear prompts to encourage timely action. Keep the tone calm and positive to motivate users without creating pressure or anxiety, and tailor urgency cues to fit the product’s context.

A Final Thought

Emotional design is about understanding what you want users to feel in different moment and crafting experiences that speak to those emotions. Whether it’s encouraging a quick decision, building trust, or simply sparking joy, emotions are the invisible architects of user experience, and a powerful business driver when used strategically. When applying emotional design, remember: think emotionally, design intentionally.