Before diving deeper into any research this semester, it was important for me to reflect on last semester, as well as also finally setting up the groundwork for the thesis itself. It was therefore essential to find the right supervisor and contact from a different interdisciplinary field, that could guide me through this ongoing research and testing process. It was particularly important for me to learn and gain knowledge from user testings as well as web-specific content. It was important to find out in advance whether the desired topic was suitable for a Master’s thesis. During a two-hour discussion round with Professor Baumann we were abled to set appropriate milestones for further research. The focus of the first phase of research in this semester will be on a wide range of neurodesign principles that I have already researched in my bachelor thesis. In the further process, five of these categories are to be determined and researched within wireframes in user testing. For this purpose, two different versions of wireframes will be created in the next step. Another big topic we had during our discussion was the title and establishment of the topic:
Moi: Neurodesign combines principles from neuroscience and psychology with design thinking. The idea is to create user interfaces and web experiences that align with how the brain processes information and emotions.
Professor Baumann: Okay, I see. But isn’t design already focused on user experience and interaction? What’s different here?
Moi: That’s exactly where Neurodesign is different. Traditional UX design focuses on usability, accessibility, and aesthetics, but it often relies on intuition, trends, or best practices. Neurodesign, on the other hand, uses data-driven insights from brain science to predict how users will react cognitively and emotionally to design elements.
Professor Baumann: Interesting. But how do you actually apply neuroscience to web design?
Moi: It’s about understanding how users’ brains respond to stimuli like colors, shapes, layouts, and even motion on a website. For example, certain colors may trigger emotional responses, while specific layouts could reduce cognitive load. Neurodesign aims to optimize these responses by using neuroscientific data, like eye-tracking or EEG studies, to inform the design decisions.
Professor Baumann: But how practical is this? How can designers realistically incorporate neuroscience into their workflow?
Moi: That’s where I see a gap in the design community. Right now, most designers don’t use these insights because they seem complex or inaccessible. My thesis aims to change that by advocating for tools and methods that can bridge neuroscience and design. For example, integrating neurodesign principles into widely-used design software or developing educational resources so designers can learn to think more scientifically about user responses.
Professor Baumann: I get your point. But isn’t this too theoretical? How would a web designer practically apply this without extensive knowledge in neuroscience?
Moi: Great question. The goal isn’t to turn designers into neuroscientists but to give them simplified, actionable principles that come from neuroscience. Think of it as adding another layer to their current toolkit. Just like how color theory or usability heuristics are standard knowledge, neurodesign principles could be distilled into easy-to-follow guidelines.
Professor Baumann: So, you’re talking about evolving the design practice by making scientific data more accessible to designers.
Moi: Exactly! It’s about evolving the design community to adopt more research-based, futuristic approaches. Neurodesign could lead to more personalized and engaging web experiences, where sites are not only visually pleasing but also scientifically optimized to fit the user’s mental processing and emotional engagement.
Professor Baumann: Now that makes sense. You’re essentially trying to reform the design community with these forward-thinking approaches. It sounds like you’re paving a path toward more scientifically-backed design methods.
Moi: Yes, and I think it’s a much-needed shift. Right now, design often feels like it’s based on trends or gut feelings as well as very outdated principles that are not questioned enough in my opinion. Who says that in a world that constantly changing, our behaviour isn’t? Another very big factor in pursuing this is simply the want to grow. How can we as a community or artists grow if we don’t leave our comfort zone? Change can only happen when we try something new, not if we keep designing after the same old rules. With neurodesign, we could bring objectivity into the creative process and push the community towards creating truly user-centered experiences, where every design decision is backed by how the brain actually works.
Professor Baumann: Alright, I think I’m getting the bigger picture now. This is definitely an exciting direction. Let’s refine your proposal further and see how you can build a strong case for this shift in your thesis.
Moi: Thank you, Professor. I’m really excited about it too!
The next step in my research will be the A/B Testing with the established Wireframes that have yet to be finished.
