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May 27, 2025
May 27, 2025
Nearly a decade ago, my research career shifted into the dynamic world of games user research. I worked in a video game studio with designers, engineers, and executives for several years.
I collaborated with developers around the globe on a diverse range of game genres. My focus was always on understanding the player experience to make games more engaging and intuitive, and hit the sweet spot where challenge is rewarding, not punishing.
These experiences identifying and solving complex design problems profoundly influenced my perspective on user experience research. Now, as I navigate the realm of product development at Dscout, I find myself drawing parallels between crafting compelling game experiences and designing effective tools for researchers—particularly when it comes to the role of thoughtfully managed friction.
We are in a moment of monumental transition. The current hype around GenAI is almost dizzying, promising to streamline workflows and accelerate every aspect of product development. But remember, we’ve navigated similarly profound shifts before.
The internet reshaped information access. The mobile revolution redefined connectivity and user experience. Each time, we've learned to adapt, prioritize, and leverage new capabilities in ways that ultimately serve human needs.
Major transitions like this allow us to rethink our fundamental approach to work. In product development and research, this means consciously prioritizing thoughtful efficiency over mere speed. We must challenge the pervasive message that the fastest, easiest route is inherently the best.
Instead, we need to be thoughtful about friction, recognizing that inevitable points of tension can be intentionally shaped to be productive, even enjoyable. All good stories require conflict—in design, compelling conflict can arise from moments of friction.
But what’s the right amount of effort versus ease in a GenAI-driven world? How do we provide just enough resistance to proceed with purpose and intention, rather than being swept away by the current of frictionless automation?
As we explore new ways of working with GenAI, traditional models may not always feel as relevant with all the possibilities at our fingertips. However, embracing foundational frameworks like the Double Diamond is more crucial than ever for staying balanced, particularly in distinguishing between divergent and convergent modes.
Knowing when to expand and explore (diverge) and when to focus and refine (converge) can help us move quickly, rapidly prototyping and evaluating, while strategically applying efforts to the right problems and solutions.
Deliberate divergence allows us to explore, and deliberate convergence forces us to be mindful about what we prioritize. GenAI certainly helps us do more with less and explore ideas rapidly, but ensuring our output remains meaningful requires balance. Even when working quickly, intentionally applied friction can help us avoid superficial solutions.
Consider good game design: the goal generally isn't to create a passive walkthrough, but to weave in just enough challenge to drive engagement and a sense of reward. Just as a well-designed game balances challenge and reward within the gameplay, engaging design balances effort and ease, especially as GenAI offers unprecedented speed.
The deliberate and skillful use of friction is a crucial distinction in game development, where designers carefully calibrate difficulty through mechanics and systems that reward different motivations. It isn't about making the game arbitrarily hard, but providing a meaningful sense of progression and accomplishment. The Dark Souls series is popular because overcoming its challenges is incredibly rewarding for mastery-motivated players.
Puzzle games like Portal create friction through complex problems that demand creative solutions. Even simpler games like Tetris employ friction; the increasing speed and the pressure of a rising stack create a sense of urgency and excitement.
Good game design isn't about removing all obstacles, it's about making those obstacles engaging and meaningful. Can we embrace those principles in product design to find the sweet spot where friction and satisfaction align? We must be wary of equating fast and easy with inherently better, consciously maintaining our balance and strategic intent.
User onboarding is a prime example of where we can borrow directly from game design. Teaching users how to navigate a new system in a low-stakes environment by allowing them to take action and encounter a small, intentional challenge may be more effective and memorable than simply asking them to read about how to use the system.
Consider your own product's onboarding flow: where might a touch of thoughtful friction, like a guided micro-challenge or a deliberate interaction, lead to deeper user understanding and lasting engagement?
“Good game design isn't about removing all obstacles, it's about making those obstacles engaging and meaningful.
Laurel Brown
Senior UX Researcher, Dscout
This idea of balance applies not only to what we create but also to how we create. In his book Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior, former NBA head coach Phil Jackson explores mindful awareness as a powerful tool for fostering team cohesion, focus, and performance in high-pressure environments.
Jackson integrated mindfulness practices into his coaching of the Chicago Bulls, emphasizing the importance of being fully present in the moment, letting go of distractions, and cultivating inner peace and awareness.
This approach helped the Bulls develop a strong sense of team unity, improve their ability to stay focused under pressure, and ultimately win six NBA championships with Jackson as the head coach.
Sure, he had Michael Jordan on his side (and later Kobe Bryant, leading the LA Lakers to five of their own championships), but harnessing the energy of these superstars no doubt led to their overall success. Perhaps taking a more mindful approach to our work would allow us to strengthen our team bonds and stay focused in this fast-paced, pressure-filled industry.
To be thoughtfully efficient and focus on the right problems, we need to be mindful and balanced. GenAI is a fantastic tool, but sometimes we need to metaphorically (and literally) touch grass. Going analog, standing at a whiteboard together, or sketching out ideas on paper are grounding sensory experiences that can lead to thoughtful efficiency. We gain clarity and avoid wasted effort on misdirected solutions.
As researchers and product people navigating a competitive and ever-changing tech landscape, we must avoid operating from a place of fear. We cannot be frantic during this shift. Instead of reacting to every new GenAI tool and advancement, it may help to proactively look inward and identify where new technology makes the most sense in complement to what our organizations do best. Let’s find the right balance of ease and effort in both what we create and how we work.
Establish a clear set of principles for your product development. This acts as your compass when facing tough decisions and helps you stay true to your vision, especially when there is a shiny new advancement every day. Dedicate a team meeting to brainstorm and document three to five core principles that will guide your product development, especially around GenAI integration.
What moments of friction are inherent or even beneficial to the core experience of your product? How can they be reframed as opportunities for deeper engagement, learning, or delight? Map out a key user flow in your product and critically examine each step. Identify moments of friction and brainstorm ways to make them more purposeful or even enjoyable.
Think about key points in your user journeys where a small, well-designed moment of friction could increase engagement or understanding (e.g., a deliberate pause in an onboarding flow to highlight a crucial feature, a moment of reflection after a key task).
Look for opportunities to frame necessary effort as a pathway to mastery or a greater sense of accomplishment (e.g., clearly communicating the benefits of completing a slightly more involved profile setup).
Intentionally disconnect from digital interfaces and engage with physical materials. Gather inspiration from unexpected sources. Working with your hands or sketching with paper and pen can spark different kinds of creative thinking that digital tools alone might not offer.
Dedicate 15-30 minutes a few times a week to an analog creative activity that may not be related to your immediate work. Then consider how you might relate these analog activities to your work!
Video games, board games, or shooting hoops. Pay attention to how games create engagement through their balance of challenge and reward, their introduction of friction, and how they teach players new systems. Analyze what makes them compelling and how those principles might apply to product design.
Incorporate mindfulness practices like meditation into your routine. Studies have shown that meditation can improve focus, reduce stress, enhance creativity, and promote better decision-making—all crucial for navigating the complexities of GenAI and product development. Try a guided meditation app like Headspace for 5-10 minutes and observe the impact on your focus and stress levels.
“As researchers and product people navigating a competitive and ever-changing tech landscape, we must avoid operating from a place of fear.
Laurel Brown
Senior UX Researcher, Dscout
Ultimately, building impactful products in the GenAI era demands intentionality. By embracing thoughtful friction in our designs and our approach to work, we choose to play a more strategic game. We can ensure our GenAI-powered future builds on solid foundations, creating experiences that offer genuine value, a sense of accomplishment, and truly resonate with the human need for balance and purpose.
