In the field of human-computer interaction, the User Experience (UX) reflects how users perceive the overall experience of interacting with a computer system. Building on this concept, what we call the Motivational Experience (MX), reflects to what extent users feel motivated, engaged, and empowered by their interactions with a system (broadly defined).
The underpinnings of MX include design principles based on Keller’s ARCS model: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction. Other contributing approaches include Picard’s conception of Affective Computing, Bandura’s social learning theory, and Prochaska’s stages of change.
While optimizing the MX is relevant for all domains, it is particularly important for learning, especially when the content tends to be tedious or boring. In this case, making the interactions engaging and even fun enhances motivation which in turn lends to other desired outcomes such as compliance, learning, and satisfaction.
According to many ancient beliefs, the color purple/indigo is representative of the “third eye” or “mind’s eye.” The purple swirl represents this focus on perception beyond ordinary insight. As such, designing the Motivational Experience involves both right-brain (intuitive) and left-brain (logical) processes. The ultimate goal of our work is to create inspired design.
