On friction

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This is my entry for this month’s IndieWeb Carnival, hosted by V.H. Belvadi on the topic of Friction.

As a digital marketer, I strive to reduce friction and improve user experience through data-driven strategies.
In the digital realm, friction often refers to any obstacle that prevents a seamless user journey, making interactions smoother and more intuitive.

Google is an input box on a blank page (ok I know, it is more than this).
Amazon lets you complete an order with a click.
They reach their goal many times a second. Their success is not only a matter of removing friction, but it helps.

This reduction in friction is designed to keep users engaged longer, increase purchases and consumption of content, and often translate into higher revenues.

Ok, sometimes reducing friction can be done in a way that misleads users, creating dark patterns, but when using an app or tool, efficiency and simplicity are important.

Using a product, I want to get my tasks done with minimal distractions and move on. In these cases, reducing friction is key.
The user experience should be as seamless and intuitive as possible, allowing users to achieve their goals effortlessly.

Anyway, reducing friction is just a way, a tool to achieve a goal. The point is the reason why you use the tool.

If you already read my blog you know that I am (learning-by-) doing an Android app, Drinklytics.
When I set up my Google Developer account, I realized that, as a new account, I would have been obliged to make an internal test, allowing almost 20 people to try the app.
What's the purpose of this rule? It's to have a filter, to add a little friction to limit the app publication made by new developer accounts like mine, that could introduce garbage into the store easily.

Let's leave aside the question of whether this friction element is functional or not, the point is that introducing a friction element is sometimes part of a solution.

Friction is a multifaceted concept. While reducing friction can lead to a better user experience, it's important to recognize its value.

Like for many other things, if I should label friction as black or white, I couldn't do it.
Friction can be bad, good, or any other nuance between the two.

Friction is a double-edged sword.
By recognizing the dual nature of friction and applying it, you can craft experiences that are not only seamless and efficient but also reliable and secure. In essence, it's not about eliminating friction altogether, but about mastering its application.

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