Designing for the senses: An introduction to sensory and sound design in UX

How Sound Design Can Improve User Experience

Moving Beyond Visual Design: The Role of Sound in UX

In the world of UX design, visual elements often take center stage, leaving little room for the other senses. However, as we design experiences that span across multiple devices and platforms, it’s becoming increasingly important to consider the role of sound and other sensory inputs. In this article, we’ll explore the world of sensory and sound design and how it can be integrated into the UX design process.

Sensory design is a broad field that encompasses all the ways in which we engage with the world around us through our senses. It’s not just about what we see, but also what we touch, hear, taste, and smell. Sound design, in particular, plays a powerful role in our experiences. It connects with our sensory and emotional centers in the brain, making it a key element in creating more satisfying and soulful experiences.

In his talk at UX Salon, Matthew Bennett, Head of the Sound + Sensory Design Program at Microsoft, described a new model for product sound design that grounds traditional elements of the discipline within a broader sensory design framework. This approach integrates sound as an integral part of the overall experience rather than treating it as a separate component.

Video: A New Paradigm: Sound as Sensory Design — Matthew Bennett

Here are five key takeaways from his talk:

1. Sound connects to powerful sensory and emotional centers in our brain, making it a key element in creating more satisfying and soulful experiences. By using sound as an integrated design element, we can orchestrate a multisensory product experience that is intuitive and accessible to users.
2. Sound design goes beyond creating literal connections between specific sounds and colors or shapes. Instead, it is about using sound to enhance and support the overall user experience. Sound design should be intuitive and accessible, and it should inspire all designers to create more beautiful, functional, and inclusive experiences.
3. Sound and visual elements can influence how we perceive each other. For example, a sound that is associated with a particular color or shape can influence how we perceive that color or shape. Designers need to consider how different sensory inputs interact and work together to create a cohesive experience.
4. A healthy audio ecosystem is crucial to reducing noise pollution in the digital world. Noise pollution is not necessarily about the loud volume but about how unexpected sounds trigger our fight-or-flight response and steal our attention. Sound design can help create a healthier, more cognitively sustainable digital experience.
5. Sound design is an essential part of creating inclusive experiences. By designing for different types of users, including those with hearing impairments, sound design can help create a more inclusive and accessible product. Inclusive design benefits all users, not just those with disabilities, and it should be a priority for all UX designers.

Ultimately, sound design holds the key to crafting engaging and immersive user experiences for UX designers. By seamlessly incorporating sound into the design process, we pave the way for more intuitive, inclusive, and gratifying experiences for all users. Taking into account the interplay of various sensory inputs allows us to develop products that captivate users visually, emotionally, and sensorially.