Reduce the Friction

Inspired by Luc Levesque episode

Luc Levesque on user journeys: make the right thing easy to do, not just possible to do.

I've been designing my life like an idiot. The opposite of what I want.

I wanted my kids to read more. I put all books in a bin upstairs behind a locked door. TV remote? On the coffee table, charged, next to snacks. A shrine to Netflix.

People don't have willpower—they have pathways. My kid will take the remote every time since I've made it frictionless. Reading requires climbing stairs, opening a bin, dusting off a hardcover. I've told my child: "Reading is a quest boss. TV is opening the fridge."

I'm fixing this. Books everywhere. Bathroom? Book. Car? Book. Kid's bed? Book. Remote? Hidden in a drawer behind winter coats. If I want different behavior, I need to make the friction do the work.

We're all lazy. Your kids are lazy. I'm lazy. We don't choose the right thing; we choose the easiest thing. Stop relying on willpower. Start being a friction architect. Make good stuff effortless. Make bad stuff annoying.

Design the path people will take.

Listen to Luc's episode of Lenny's Podcast

1-2yr2-3yr3-4yr4-6yrUser ResearchEnvironmental DesignLuc Levesque

While this advice is inspired by Luc Levesque's quotes, it does not necessarily mean they would agree with it. Much like your kids or mother-in-law. If you see something odd though, you can .

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