The Perfect Addiction

Eyal’s model outlines a pattern of persuasion in four distinct phases. The trigger is often just a little hint, a tiny clue that piques our curiosity. The trick is then to internalise these external triggers through design language. A product or service will mingle with our emotions until we call it up voluntarily, almost reflexively. Then a meticulously choreographed chain of action unfolds, consisting of motivation, ability and trigger. Only when all three come together at the right moment do we act.

The true art of persuasion lies in the reward. As with gambling, it is the element of unpredictability that makes it addictive. Sometimes we are rewarded with an exciting message, sometimes we are in for a little disappointment. It is this constant change that keeps us going. In the final stage, all users voluntarily invest more and more time, commitment, passion and even love – this pattern then reinforces our attachment to services and/or products.

This recipe for creating habits can be used not only to develop digital addictions, but also to create sustainable behaviours. The bike-sharing service around the corner, the app that saves you money on groceries, or the rewards scheme for reusable packaging – they all rely on similar mechanisms to create routines that have a long-term positive impact.

We are conditioned, and in economics there is a term for this: “sunk costs” – the effort we have already invested. Our decisions are no longer made logically, based on our future goals, but because we hope to get something back for what we’ve already invested. The “sunk cost fallacy” is another self-deception that affects decision-making to our detriment. By dissecting these mechanisms of habit formation, Nir Eyal has provided a kind of blueprint for product development that virtuously targets triggers and condenses them into a choreography of habits. And design? It acts as a silent guiding force.

The Perfect Product

Nobody forces us to do anything; we do it by choice. But how should we value the quiet power of nudging – that gentle push in a particular direction? And where exactly is the line between nudging and manipulation? It all depends on how transparent these systems are designed to be. ‘Goods become harmful when they make us dependent on systems that ultimately exploit us or fail us,’ says Lucius Burckhardt, adding: ‘Undoubtedly, we are all tied to systems that make us vulnerable. But we can still influence the degree of our dependence’.

One example is a smart fridge that monitors our diet and acts as a kind of life coach, offering helpful diet tips, personalised recipes and even a shopping list for the next birthday. This digital butler has got us hooked – and we didn’t even know how or when it happened. Suddenly a notification pops up: “How about a Thai curry made from yesterday’s leftovers?” Not a bad idea.

The same goes for streaming services. Are these services simply entertainment providers, or do they offer the perfect distraction, influencing our habits through choices and settings? Netflix and other streaming platforms have perfected the art of gentle coercion. As soon as one episode ends, the next begins. The algorithm is busy gathering data about our tastes and soon becomes so adept that it knows our next favourite show before we even do.

Sustainability as the New Design Challenge

Anyone wondering why some products are downright addictive while others fade into digital oblivion should take a look at Nir Eyal’s ‘hook model’. It brilliantly unravels the mystery of ‘habit’, revealing the mental dynamics that kick in once an app, device or service has hooked us. The Stanford University School of Engineering professor analyses how companies exploit our reward system to generate revenue. But that is only one side of the coin.

We can also use our reward system to create positive habits – and encourage sustainable choices. An app that playfully shows how much CO₂ you can save by using public transport, or a second-hand fashion portal that rewards reuse, are prime examples of sustainable product design using the hook model.

The future belongs to products that make sustainable behaviour so intuitive and rewarding that we choose it by choice. Good product design means that sustainable alternatives not only exist, but become the easier, more attractive and emotionally satisfying choice. Whether through gamification, aesthetic incentives or skilful nudging, designers have the opportunity to establish sustainable routines as effectively as digital consumption habits.

Knowledge is one thing. Action is another. And when good design helps us subconsciously choose a reusable cup over a disposable one, or a bike over a car, it is more than just clever product design – it is a real lever for change.