Using Nostalgia in UX Design

Barbie. Country music. Adidas Sambas. Top Gun. Y2K fashion. Stranger Things. Flip phones. These are just a few things that may have recently made you feel nostalgic. Reminders of the past are everywhere we look, but what is driving this trend and how can it be used in UX design?

Nostalgia: A sentimental desire to return to a past time or experience in your life, that often has positive associations.

In periods of stress or uncertainty, it is common for people to recall “the good old days” to help them form a better outlook for the future. Whilst not everything in the past will be positive, the brain can selectively remove negative parts of our memories as a coping mechanism. The result is a powerful form of escapism, whereby we get an optimistic feeling from recalled experiences.

Recent events such as the pandemic and cost of living crisis have been a key driver for nostalgia, particularly amongst younger generations who yearn for trouble-free times. Similarly, with the advancement of technology (alongside life), users are faced with new experiences that can feel unfamiliar and daunting to some. Nostalgia creates the opportunity to connect emotionally with people, adding a layer of warmth and familiarity to products or services. This is often done deliberately through UX design.

Let’s look at some examples…

Dishoom

In the same style as their restaurant interiors, the Dishoom website tells the story of Irani cafes in 20th century Bombay. Whilst these may feature in the memories of only a small portion of customers, the design evokes nostalgia for the importance of physical communities and interactions, before the distraction of modern technology. This is achieved through a column layout using advert-style graphics and serif fonts reminiscent of an old newspaper, with muted photographs that are saturated with colour as you scroll down the page. It certainly makes us want to drop in for a Chai with friends!

Habito

Mortgage brokers Habito use retro design elements across their user experience to make the process of getting a mortgage appear less arduous, by providing users with a metaphorical ‘lift’. The website casts you back to the 80’s with its pastel colour palette, geometric patterns, winged cursor, and scrolling ticker tape, whilst large text, clear calls to action and structured guidance enhance usability. Combined, these create a fun user experience that stands apart from the dullness associated with financial tasks.

Apple

Icons are something we have come to rely on in the digital world, to support quick recognition amongst increasing amounts of content. Those who have used Apple from the beginning will recognise the consistency in their app icons, which have gradually evolved to be more simplistic, whilst retaining the same underlying visual. This has not only ensured they are intuitive but has also begun to induce nostalgia as people think back to the first iPhone and the experiences it has supported.

Challenges

While many companies are doing it well, using nostalgia is something that demands careful consideration and responsibility to be effective.

Understanding your audience

All memories are unique, meaning that nostalgia will differ for everyone. Whilst triggers are likely to be similar for those close in age and cultural experiences, the chance of nostalgic design being effective reduces as the target audience for a product or service increases. Designers must also be able to resonate with the experience of users, to form a meaningful connection with the past. We suggest conducting user research to:

• Gain insight into your audience’s past experiences, motivations, and mental models.
• Identify opportunities to connect your product or service to positive memories.
• Test the impact and success of different nostalgic triggers.

Blending old and new

When not implemented correctly, retro styles can be perceived as dated, with the potential to damage a brand by suggesting it is not innovative. To prevent this from happening, nostalgic content should aim to enhance rather than adapt modern functionality, by forming a narrative that sits behind intuitive design elements and interactions. As a result, visuals such as typography and colour palettes that spark associations, are likely to be more successful.

Maintaining accessibility

Whilst it shouldn’t be an afterthought, nostalgic design should come second to a seamless user experience, that is accessible to all users. This automatically rules out many design elements that you would have seen online 10 years ago (or less) such as flashing animations, patterned backgrounds behind text, and long blocks of content. We recommend working alongside an accessibility specialist from the start to ensure your solution follows best practice.

In summary, nostalgia offers a clever way to captivate your audience and create an emotionally engaging experience. So, next time you are designing a product or service, try looking back as well as forwards.