It was once thought the “wow factor” had been left behind with the digital trends of the early 2000s. Back then, design briefs often called for aesthetics that would dazzle, while agencies competed in beauty contests judged more on visual taste than user need.
But the truth is, the wow factor hasn’t disappeared. It’s just evolved, and it continues to lead teams away from what matters most.
1. Impact is the real wow
When digital products truly impress, it’s because they work.
Think about the moments that have genuinely felt extraordinary in digital:
- Calling home for free on Skype
- Exploring cities in seconds on Google Earth
- Opening a bank account with a three-second video
These weren’t defined by colour gradients or typography, they were defined by capability. The wow came from what the product enabled, not how it looked.
2. Boardroom design isn’t real-world design
Designs that win applause in a meeting room don’t always perform in the real world.
Too often, digital products are judged on flawless screens in quiet boardrooms with perfect signal and immaculate lighting. But real users are navigating your experience on cracked phones, with patchy Wi-Fi, while juggling three other tasks.
Design needs to succeed there - not in a pitch deck.
3. Simplicity outperforms spectacle
The most trusted digital platforms aren’t those chasing wow. They’re the ones that deliver, clearly, quickly, and reliably.
- Amazon: cluttered, but unstoppable in retail
- GOV.UK: minimal by design, with 90% user satisfaction
- TfL: millions of journeys supported daily, without fanfare
- BBC: increasingly simplified over time, not made flashier
What these platforms have in common isn’t style. It’s substance. The lesson? Simple, usable design wins, every time.
4. Wow doesn’t last
Professor Noriaki Kano’s framework for customer satisfaction highlights a key truth: delight is fleeting. What surprises and excites today becomes tomorrow’s expectation.
Digital tools evolve quickly. What once felt magical soon becomes routine. Users don’t hold on to wow, they move on. Great design respects that and focuses on building value that endures.
5. Most users don’t want wow - they want to get things done
The biggest assumption behind the wow factor is that people want to be wowed. But that’s rarely tested, and often untrue.
Most users don’t visit a site to be amazed. They come to complete a task, solve a problem, or find an answer. Good design meets them there. It begins with listening, research, and empathy, not decoration.
Stakeholders might enjoy impressive visuals. But users want confidence, clarity and control.
Design for use, not applause
The role of design is not to impress, it’s to enable.
Don’t aim to dazzle. Aim to deliver.
Because real impact isn’t found in flashy animation or slick presentation. It’s found in speed, structure, relevance, and ease. It’s found in the feeling users have when they finish what they came to do - quickly, calmly, and with confidence.
And in the long run, that’s what impresses most.
