Exploiting user participation to enhance user experience (UX): An emotional approach

Recent research in Human Computer Interaction considers User Experience (UX) as a key factor for system success. UX encompasses all aspects of a person's emotions and attitudes about a system and its use. One important way through which UX can be enhanced is through user participation in the UX design process. The Information Systems (IS) literature suggests that there are at least two important benefits of user participation. The first and the obvious benefit is that user participation improves usability, a key component of UX, as users provide essential information regarding their needs, the tasks they are supposed to perform and the business processes the system is expected to support. The second benefit is that user participation leads to positive feelings towards the system, and therefore, users are more willing to adopt and use it. We find that previous research has not paid enough attention to affective factors that emerge due to user participation. In this research, we theorize that both the effort expended by the users through participation in the design process and the control exercised by the users over the design process play a key role in creating emotional buy-in. Specifically, we posit that users’ perceptions of control and effort increase the attractiveness of the system and positive affect toward the system, both key components of UX, due to psychological processes involving effort justification, feelings of ownership and feelings of competence. This research contributes to the traditional IS literature on user participation and the emerging literature on UX by demonstrating that user effort and control are critical user participation related factors that can enhance UX. This research contributes to practice by offering suggestions on how to enhance UX and reduce user resistance towards new information systems.

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