What Defines an Experience?

There’s a lot of buzz about the design of experiences and placemaking. The isolation of the pandemic lead to a universal desire to connect with our communities in person, and that desire keeps growing. At the same time, technology is speeding up our lives and shortening our attention spans. I’ve noticed a common interpretation of “experience” being primarily about what things look like, with an ever increasing appetite for the new and different. Something that can be captured in a handful of images posted on social media. With a quick scroll, these experiences become trendy, then common, and quickly obsolete. This visual churn misses the point of true experience.

After watching several SEGD conference presentations, I find myself diving deeper into the meaning of the word experience. The graphic designer in me jumps immediately to aesthetics — color, light, physical space proportions, typography, identity, and style. The strategist in me focuses on the targeted outcomes we’re aiming for, budget constraints, and media options. The communicator in me considers the key stakeholders, messaging, and challenges. The event host in me thinks about sounds, tastes, and smells. As effective and important as these things are, they’re essentially surface effects.

Paula Rees of Foreseer defines the designer’s role as placesetting vs. placemaking. The set is not the experience. It’s not the story. The experience itself is actually created by each participant. At its core, experience is about emotions and interaction. We may have intentions, and certainly we can guide people thoughtfully through a space or event, but every person has a unique lens and filter that creates their perceptions. Behaviors and a sense of connection come from those feelings. The most impactful environmental designs I’ve witnessed take time to go through, whether they’re public spaces, parks, restaurants or museums. A visual experience is just an appealing image without depth.

Connection and belonging require informed collaboration between creator and the participant. The best experiences inspire us to be present and engaged — to savor, share, and indulge on a deeper level.