Why mystery is important in designing experiences

Look.

People are bored. They were in the past and now they might be more than ever before.

So how can we end this?

With the magic of mystery.

Oh, mystery.

The curiosity you have towards all those infinite possibilities. You don’t know what to expect yet you are so involved in trying to figure the unknown.

It’s just like how happiness works. Everyone seeks it. People just want to have more assets, better functioning products, and so on. Yet when they have it, happiness lasts just a bit, and then it vanishes, resulting in a person that has something else to seek for.

You see, this is true as well as when you want to know something. To acquire a missing piece for an unfinished puzzle.

Mystery is not about the answer itself.

Mystery is about the state of not knowing. It’s about the sense of hope and potential. It’s about the curiosity you have towards the unknown.

Most often you see it in movies with an open ending. Or books. Or theater.

You can see it in people too. A smart good looking woman or man that just have something mysterious. Well? It drives you like crazy! Don’t tell me you’ve never met such a person. I bet you did.

But as Christmas is coming, let’s think about why do we package presents. Isn’t it obvious? It’s not for the looks (or not entirely). It’s for wondering what might be hidden behind it! A book? A game? An album? Jewelry? So many possibilities!

You are a designer of experiences, even though you might not be aware of it.

Every act you do, every word you say, every decision you take…

You have an impact on someone else’s experience.

And if you can include mystery in what you do (be it a product that you sell, a surprise you want to make, or a common conversation) then you already made someone else’s day more interesting.

But how do you create mystery?

Well, for sure we can try and give you some methods and hints…

But till then, you have to figure it out by yourself. Just experiment, test and see what works. There is no actual best recipe, it’s a matter of caring, wanting, being curious about who your creating mystery for and then it will simply unfold.