Psychological Safety in UX: Fostering Trust and Engagement
Any well-designed digital product should be three things: intuitive, functional, and of course, visually appealing. However, if we want to move the engagement needle and inspire real behavioral change, we need to consider a fourth element often overlooked when designing digital experiences: psychological safety.
What is psychological safety?
You might have already heard of psychological safety in contexts like team building in the workplace. The term psychological safety was originally coined by Amy Edmondson, a Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School, referring to one’s perception of the consequences of taking interpersonal risks. In simpler words, this is all about feeling safe to express yourself, share ideas, and take risks without fear of judgment or repercussion.1
What is psychological safety’s role in UX?
To explain the relationship between psychological safety and digital experiences, we first need to remember that we are designing for humans, who each have a unique list of needs they expect digital products to address. Now, to fully understand what these needs are and how to fulfill them, let’s look back at one of the foundational concepts of motivation, Maslow's hierarchy of needs. From there, we can transition to its digital counterpart, the UX pyramid.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Maslow's pyramid suggests that human needs can be arranged in a hierarchical structure, with lower-level needs (such as physiological ones) at the bottom and higher-level needs (such as self-actualization) at the top. According to Maslow, individuals must fulfill lower-level needs before progressing to higher-level ones. In this model, “safety needs” encompass physical safety, security, stability, and a sense of predictability in one's environment. Placed just above physiological needs, an individual must feel secure before fulfilling other needs.2
References
- Gallo, A. (2023, February 15). What is psychological safety?. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety
- Dar, Showkat & P.sakthivel, Prof. (2022). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Is still Relevant in the 21st Century. 02. 1-9. 10.55529/jlep.23.1.9.
- Marvel. (2020, December 21). An introduction to user experience design. Marvel Blog. https://marvelapp.com/blog/introduction-user-experience-design/#part4
About the Author
Maricela Arizaga
Maricela Arizaga is a Senior UX Designer at The Decision Lab, bringing her expertise to the crossroads of strategy and creativity in the realm of digital product creation. A steadfast advocate for accessibility and inclusive design, she is dedicated to sculpting a digital landscape that combines innovation with inclusivity, driven by her conviction that outstanding design should be accessible to all.
Prior to her role at The Decision Lab, Maricela led UX product development in a global context across Travel, Retail, Automotive, and Healthcare industries. Her exceptional work has earned her usability awards, underscoring her commitment to creating user experiences that stand out.
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