What is attention economy?

In accordance to Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen, more than 30,000 new products are launched every year. Besides the fact that a shocking 95% of them fail, they all have something in common…they constantly compete for users’ attention. Keep in mind that if users are focusing on one thing, such as reading a notification that appeared on their phone, it implies they are disregarding something else. Paying equal attention to multiple things is almost not happening since we are not designed for it. And because time is limited, users have to decide how they want to spend their day. This fight over users’ attention is alluded to as the attention economy.

Furthermore, the term “attention economy” was first out in circulation by psychologist Herbert A. Simon. He strongly believed that there are certain limits on what people can think about and do at one time. Simon’s hypothesis was widely accepted by many researchers. So let’s face it: people aren’t really capable of multitasking. The more diverted an individual is, the less likely he or she is to finish a task on a qualitative level.

Unfortunately, technology has become very distractive to users. Due to this conflict between attention and distraction, UX designers need to seriously consider how the product they are building will impact a person’s behavior. That being said, I want to share a famous quote from psychologist Herbert A. Simon with you. He once said the following:

“A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”

Pertaining to this quote, technology should be used solely in a way that actually benefits the users and not the opposite. And by benefiting I mean that it improves their daily lives, such as adopting positive and healthy habits instead of developing a scrolling addiction.

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What is the concept behind it?

The idea of the attention economy makes sense of how communicating with innovation might cause illnesses such as depression or anxiety for some people. For instance, a user might feel miserable when they don’t hear or see new messages popping up on their devices, or they might encounter the apprehension about missing a great opportunity (otherwise called FOMO — Fear Of Missing Out) in the event that they don’t consistently revive their online entertainment feed or actually take a look at their messages. Indeed, even apparently little subtleties, similar to the colors utilized and the volume of warnings, can be diverting to users or influence them to feel restless.

Innovation makes numerous things quicker and more straightforward, yet it shouldn’t control individuals’ lives. As of late, organizations have begun to understand the mental impact of technology and therefore are refreshing their plans to assist users with avoiding the entanglements of the attention economy. One example is Apple. Apple has updated its applications so they don’t send out notifications while users are on the road driving. Just imagine yourself in this situation where you are driving from A to B. Suddenly, you hear that specific sound appearing, the sound of a new notification. Now you are curious. Who could have sent you this message? May it be important? You most certainly will experience a sense of urgency to look at that very message. Thanks to the new update, non-disturbance driving has become somewhat safer.

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How can it be avoided?

It’s really smart to contemplate the attention economy as you start working as a product designer. Here are a few accepted procedures for you to consider to assist you with staying away from terrible design choices:

• Ponder objectives and measurements. Figure out your organization’s business objectives as well as KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Focus on how these goals could go against or line up with your user’s goals.
• Stay away from misleading patterns. Instead, be straightforward with your users. Contemplate your motivation for design and how your own qualities line up with it.
• Share great design rehearses with individuals you work with. Try to really understand the powerful position you are in as a UX designer. You can impact the dynamic interaction for good and ensure that the right plan decisions are being made.

The notion of an attention economy has become progressively essential to the conversation of what design per se can emphatically and adversely mean for users. The more we regard users’ time, attention, and encounters, the simpler it will be to maintain the emphasis of design on individuals, their necessities, and the manners in which they can appreciate innovation.

And that’s a wrap! If you enjoyed this article, I would greatly appreciate your support via clapping and/or sharing it with fellows. Have an awesome day and until next time 👋🏻

— Carina

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References:

Drake, A. (2019, October 10). The Product Launch: 31 Statistics to Keep in Mind. https://learn.g2.com/product-launch-statistics‍