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Our daily lives are filled with unfinished stories. We eagerly anticipate the ending of a book, wait for the next episode of a TV series, or leave items in our online shopping cart with the intention of purchasing them later. Behind these behaviors lies a fascinating psychological phenomenon: the Zeigarnik Effect.

What is the Zeigarnik Effect? 🧩

Discovered in the 1920s by Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, this psychological phenomenon explains why unfinished tasks tend to remain more prominent in our minds compared to completed ones.

The discovery of this effect is quite interesting. While studying in Germany, Zeigarnik observed the memory abilities of restaurant waiters. She noticed that waiters were remarkably good at remembering customer orders but tended to forget them as soon as the order was completed.

To explore this phenomenon further, Zeigarnik conducted a series of experiments in a laboratory setting. Participants were asked to complete a set of tasks within a limited time frame. Some of them were interrupted before finishing, while others completed all tasks. When asked to recall the tasks later, the participants were twice as likely to remember the unfinished ones over those they had completed.

The Role of the Zeigarnik Effect in User Experience

The Zeigarnik Effect plays a crucial role in UX design because it directly influences user engagement and interaction. Users tend to feel an urge to complete an action once they have started it. But how does this work in practice? Let’s take a closer look.

"The human tendency to complete unfinished tasks, combined with the Zeigarnik Effect, becomes a powerful tool in user experience design." — Don Norman

Capturing User Attention 👀

Leveraging the Zeigarnik Effect is an effective strategy to attract users and encourage interaction. Using visual cues, such as progress indicators or notification symbols, can spark curiosity and prompt users to take action.

Consider a scenario where you are using a task management application. On the homepage, you see a small symbol next to your pending tasks, indicating that they are incomplete. This visual reminder triggers the Zeigarnik Effect, prompting you to open the app and complete your unfinished tasks.

Encouraging Progress and Boosting Motivation 💪🏻

Encouraging users to start and complete a process is an essential strategy for increasing engagement and motivation. Many modern applications, particularly those focused on personal development and education, utilize this effect effectively.

A great example of this is Udemy.

Educational applications are designed to keep users engaged in their learning journey. Suppose you start a UX design course on Udemy but haven’t finished it yet. On the app’s main screen, you see a "Continue" button or an incomplete progress bar next to the course. This subtle visual cue serves as a reminder that the course remains unfinished.

This is where the Zeigarnik Effect comes into play. The presence of an incomplete course can create an internal motivation that drives the user to return and complete it.

Apple Watch's Activity Rings: A Practical Example

Another compelling example of the Zeigarnik Effect in UX design is the Activity app on the Apple Watch. This app helps users track their daily physical activities and build healthy habits.

One of its most effective features is the "Activity Rings," which visually represent users’ daily movement, exercise, and standing goals. Users must complete these rings by achieving their daily targets. Since the Zeigarnik Effect states that unfinished tasks stay on the mind, these incomplete rings serve as a strong motivational tool, encouraging users to return and complete their goals.

Building User Engagement and Retention 🏆

The Zeigarnik Effect can make user experiences more memorable and increase retention. Unfinished tasks or subtle reminders can leave an imprint in users' minds, increasing the likelihood of their return to the platform. This concept is closely related to gamification.

To elaborate, users' desire to complete unfinished tasks fosters a sense of satisfaction. This sense of accomplishment comes from successfully reaching a goal through their own efforts. Consequently, the Zeigarnik Effect encourages users to return repeatedly to experience that feeling of fulfillment.

Applying the Zeigarnik Effect in Multi-Step Forms

One of the most obvious applications of this effect is in multi-step forms. When users see their progress visually represented, they are more likely to complete the process.

In one of my recent projects, I leveraged this principle effectively. The mobile app I designed revolved around a competition concept where users could vote on each other’s ideas and track their rankings.

To enhance user engagement, I incorporated a "Progress" section displaying:

• The number of votes a user had given,

• Achievements they had unlocked,

• Points required to reach the next reward.

This approach reinforced user motivation by showing them how close they were to achieving a goal. If you're interested in a more detailed breakdown, you can check out the project on Behance.

Conclusion 🎯

The Zeigarnik Effect is not just about understanding user behavior; it’s about integrating this knowledge into UX design to create more engaging, satisfying, and immersive experiences.

By tapping into users' desire to complete unfinished tasks, designers can create more meaningful user experiences and foster long-term brand loyalty. Implementing this effect strategically in UX can lead to increased user engagement, retention, and overall satisfaction.