Designing Sounds
Audible sounds are integral to making sense of the world and our surroundings. They should be just important in the interactive experiences of UX design. We use all sorts of sounds to signify meaning. A truck beeps to warn others as it reverses, the kettle whistles when the water boils. Sound design in UX can contribute to providing feedback, building context, drawing attention and creating a personality for the app. Creating interface sounds involves usability perspective and a branding one. The key to making them converge into a refined final result is to think of them as interdependent.
When interacting with features on a product, people love what they find useful. Audio features are no different. The best way to identify possibilities for sound cues is to look at the user flow. Consider where sound can enhance the full user experience. Did something go wrong? Does the user need to act on something? The function of sound can be most effective when providing audible feedback to an interaction.
Use sounds to evoke or mimic the emotions surrounding a certain interaction. Abstract audible feedback that users can immediately interpret and recognize because it feels like experiences they've had in the past. Emotions associated with scenarios like a surprise, a new beginning, and completing a task can be incorporated into their digital counterparts.
A brand or design system uses a set of predetermined elements at every touchpoint that establishes consistency and cohesiveness in the user experience. Sound should be treated the same way as creating a style guide for a visual interface. It should be seen as various rearrangements of a set of elements. Perhaps a product could use similar timbres for each tune, or incorporate natural sounds, such as water drops. Visual UI design components, interactions, and sounds will all aggregate in the user’s perspective and shape how they perceive a brand.
There are biological reasons why humans rely on sounds to communicate and make sense of the world around. UX designers who integrate sound design into user experiences can create a multi-sensory interaction that will prove to be very effective. As smart devices become more ubiquitous in modern society, sounds that are both beautiful and useful can enrich an experience in a non-invasive way. Sound can greatly contribute to an impactful product's success.