Design as Performance
Design, like theatre, is a performance. It’s not static—it moves, reacts, and engages. Design as performance means thinking beyond usability to emotional resonance. When a user interacts with a product, they’re not just completing tasks—they’re experiencing something.
- Good design holds attention and directs flow, like stage lighting.
- Pacing, tension, and release affect how users feel as they navigate.
- Transitional states (animations, microinteractions) add rhythm and timing.
- The audience (users) are part of the scene—they must be considered at every step.
My theatre background deeply influences how I design. Each interaction is like a scene: it has purpose, movement, and energy. (Performance isn’t just presentation—it’s presence and intention.)
The UX Stage
When we design as performers, we elevate usability into experience. Every scroll, every click, becomes an act in a play the user doesn’t even know they’re watching. That’s the beauty of thoughtful, performative design.
Category: Visual Design, Theatre
Tags: Experiential Design, Emotional UX, Theatre Thinking, Design Philosophy, Storytelling in Design