Have you ever noticed how an unfinished book, an incomplete TV series, or a paused task can linger in your mind? There’s a psychological reason behind this—the Zeigarnik effect. According to the Zeigarnik effect, uncompleted tasks are more memorable than completed ones. These unfinished tasks linger in our minds, creating a mental burden. The need to complete these tasks can generate feelings of stress and anxiety, keeping them at the forefront of our thoughts.

The Zeigarnik effect was first identified by Russian psychologist and psychiatrist Bluma Zeigarnik. She observed, while sitting in a restaurant, that waiters could remember unpaid orders in great detail but would quickly forget them once they were settled. To test this observation, subsequent experiments allowed some participants to complete tasks while others were interrupted. When asked to recall the tasks later, participants were found to be 90% more likely to remember the interrupted tasks. This finding has since been supported by further independent research.

When we consider the impact of the Zeigarnik effect in user experience (UX), we see it being effectively used in a variety of ways, including:

  • Medium’s Website: Medium only shows part of an article to non-members, prompting them to sign up or log in to read the rest. This creates a sense of incompleteness, encouraging users to continue reading by triggering the Zeigarnik effect.
  • Progress Bars on Websites and Apps: During registration or purchase processes, progress bars are used to keep users motivated to complete the process. The knowledge that more steps remain after the initial phase pushes users to continue, driven by the desire to finish the entire process.
  • Apple’s Fitness App: The app displays how many steps are needed to complete daily goals in a circular format and sends daily notifications. These reminders encourage users to take action and continue working towards their goals.
  • Content Platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus: These platforms place a “continue to the next episode” button at the end of an episode or display unfinished episodes on the homepage through a progress bar. This tactic creates a feeling of incompleteness, motivating users to keep watching.

However, there are scenarios where the Zeigarnik effect may not work as effectively:

  • Complex Experience and Design: If users are faced with complex experiences or designs that are difficult to navigate, they may struggle to complete tasks.
  • Low Interest Level: Users may abandon a task if it fails to capture their interest or if their attention shifts to something more engaging.
  • Uncertainty: If the outcome of completing a task is unclear or unsatisfactory, it may diminish the user’s motivation to achieve their goal.

Given the influence of these factors on user behaviour and motivation, it’s crucial that the experience and design process is carefully planned. To achieve this, various research techniques should be employed to gain a deep understanding of user expectations, needs, and pain points. This might include user interviews, usability tests, surveys, and A/B tests. By accurately understanding users’ real opinions, the Zeigarnik effect can be harnessed most effectively to enhance user experience.