Chapter 6. Using family, friends, and social networks to influence users
This chapter covers
- Understanding the influence of family, friends, and social networks on your users
- Ensuring your design accommodates social influence
- Identifying areas for design improvement to address social influence
- Discussing social influence with others
- Applying the principles of social influence in digital design contexts
Kara is an interaction designer new to Philadelphia. She took a job working at a local design firm. She considers herself a designer who is a foodie, history lover, and fan of independent films. Knowing this about herself helps her find others in the Philadelphia area with similar interests. Kara meets a number of other designers with similar interests and some who are the opposite of her—they have no interest in food, history, and independent films (social comparison).
Kara finds out from the designers she identifies with that many of them are joining a Slack.com group set up for designers in the Philadelphia area. Kara has never used Slack, but she requests access to the group once one of her new design colleagues suggests she does (compliance). She then sees that many of the people she associates with are signing up for the “local events” channel within the Slack group.