Within Novelty
Does the New Feature Still Work Later?
A new feature can look successful at launch because users are curious, not because the change will keep working.
On this page
- Why early engagement can exaggerate product success
- How habituation and learning change user behavior
- How teams can test lasting value instead of launch excitement
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Introduction
When a new app feature, interface redesign, AI tool, or digital service launches, usage often surges. People click, explore, share screenshots, and spend more time with the product. This burst of activity can look like proof that the change is better. However, one of the most common forms of appeal to novelty in technology is treating this initial excitement as evidence of lasting value. The problem is that early engagement may reflect curiosity about something new rather than genuine improvement. Researchers describe this as a novelty effect: users temporarily increase attention, usage, or enthusiasm because a technology is unfamiliar, with behaviour often changing once the novelty fades. [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMCBeyond novelty effect: a mixed-methods exploration into the…by G Shin · 2018 · Cited by 191 — This study explores the impact of nov…
Within discussions of logical fallacies, the mistake occurs when observers move from “people are using the new feature more” to “the new feature is better” without testing whether the behaviour persists. Newness may explain the initial response, but it does not automatically demonstrate long-term usefulness, satisfaction, or effectiveness.
Why Early Engagement Can Exaggerate Product Success
Technology companies frequently monitor launch metrics such as clicks, session length, adoption rates, downloads, or daily active users. These measures can reveal that people are paying attention, but they do not necessarily reveal why.
Novelty itself is a powerful driver of behaviour. Research on technology adoption shows that perceived novelty influences people’s willingness to try innovations and can significantly affect adoption decisions. Users often assign value to a technology partly because it feels fresh, different, or exciting. [Wiley Online Library]onlinelibrary.wiley.comj.1540 5915.2010.00292.xWiley Online LibraryThe Effect of Perceived Novelty on the Adoption…Nov 24, 2010 — Results indicate that perceived novelty is a salien… [WashU Research Profiles]profiles.wustl.eduthe effect of perceived novelty on the adoption of information teWashU Research ProfilesThe Effect of Perceived Novelty on the Adoption…by JD Wells · 2010 · Cited by 419 — A fundamental characteristi…
This creates a common interpretation error. A team may observe:
- Higher engagement immediately after launch.
- Increased discussion on social media.
- More experimentation with features.
- A short-term rise in usage frequency.
Those outcomes can be real while still failing to demonstrate durable improvement. The key question is whether users continue using the feature once the excitement of discovery disappears.
Studies of technology adoption repeatedly find that initial attraction and long-term use are not identical phenomena. Research on activity trackers, for example, found that novelty can strongly influence early adoption, while sustained use depends on different motivational factors that emerge after the initial excitement period. [PMC]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govPMC - NIHby J Berner · 2023 · Cited by 23 — Technology enthusiasm and technology anxiety are attitudes that affect the relationship to th…
This distinction matters because appeal-to-novelty reasoning often treats adoption and enduring value as if they were the same thing.
How Habituation Changes User Behaviour
A central mechanism behind the early user novelty effect is habituation. People naturally become accustomed to repeated experiences. What once felt surprising or exciting becomes normal.
Researchers studying novelty and habituation describe repeated exposure as reducing the informational and emotional impact of a stimulus. In practical terms, users stop paying attention to the fact that something is new and begin evaluating whether it is actually useful. [arXiv]arxiv.orgarXivMathematical Model of Emotional Habituation to Novelty: Modeling with Bayesian Update and Information TheoryJuly 2, 2019…
This shift can produce several outcomes:
Engagement falls but satisfaction remains high.
A feature may genuinely improve a workflow. Users interact with it less because they have mastered it, not because it failed.
Engagement falls because the value was mostly novelty.
Users explored the feature out of curiosity, then abandoned it once they understood it.
Engagement rises gradually.
Some technologies require learning. Initial usage may be modest, but value increases as users become more skilled and integrate the tool into their routines.
The third case is especially important because it shows that not all time-related changes reflect novelty decay. Researchers examining online experiments distinguish between novelty effects, where engagement declines as excitement fades, and learning effects, where engagement grows as users become familiar with a system. [arXiv]arxiv.orgarXivMathematical Model of Emotional Habituation to Novelty: Modeling with Bayesian Update and Information TheoryJuly 2, 2019…
A short-term spike therefore provides only a partial picture. The direction of long-term behaviour remains unknown until enough time has passed.
Why Technology Hype Amplifies the Problem
Technology hype magnifies the risk of appeal-to-novelty thinking because expectations are often formed before evidence exists.
When a technology is heavily promoted as innovative, revolutionary, or disruptive, users, investors, journalists, and product teams may interpret early signs of interest as confirmation that the promised transformation is occurring. Research on hyped technologies suggests that adoption is frequently shaped by symbolic and emotional value as well as practical utility. [Gregory Gimpel]digital-transformation.orgGregory Gimpel The Adoption of Hyped Technologies: A Qualitative StudyGregory GimpelThe Adoption of Hyped Technologies: A Qualitative StudyJune 24, 2019 — by J Hedman · Cited by 128 — This research contribut…
This can create a feedback loop:
- A new feature receives attention.
- Early users experiment with it.
- Usage metrics rise.
- Observers interpret the rise as proof of superiority.
- More publicity generates more experimentation.
The resulting enthusiasm can be genuine, but the reasoning becomes fallacious if popularity driven by curiosity is treated as evidence that the technology will continue delivering benefits over time.
Examples can be found across digital products, from social media features and wearable devices to virtual reality applications and AI tools. Researchers studying educational technology, virtual reality, robotics, and digital health systems have repeatedly noted that elevated engagement during initial exposure may not accurately predict long-term outcomes. PMC 3ResearchGate [Frontiers]frontiersin.orgWhy a Proper Investigation of Novelty Effects Within SHRI…by CV Smedegaard · 2022 · Cited by 33 — I argue that the treatment of novelt…
Does the New Feature Still Work Later?
The most reliable test of lasting value is not launch performance but behaviour after users have had time to adapt.
A feature that creates durable improvement tends to survive the transition from curiosity-driven use to routine use. Users continue returning because the feature solves a problem, saves time, increases enjoyment, or improves outcomes.
Several indicators are often more informative than launch-day excitement:
- Retention after weeks or months.
- Repeat usage rather than first-time usage.
- Continued task completion rates.
- Long-term satisfaction measures. [arxiv.org]arxiv.orgarXiv Novelty and Primacy: A Long-Term Estimator for Online ExperimentsarXivNovelty and Primacy: A Long-Term Estimator for Online ExperimentsFebruary 18, 2021…
- Reduced abandonment rates.
- Evidence that users would miss the feature if it disappeared.
User-experience researchers have developed frameworks that separate adoption from retention precisely because these are different questions. A feature can attract users without keeping them, and it can keep users without generating dramatic launch excitement. Metrics systems such as Google’s HEART framework explicitly distinguish adoption, engagement, retention, and task success rather than assuming they move together. [Google Research]research.google.commore… [Google Research]research.google.commore…
This distinction helps avoid the logical leap from “people tried it” to “people benefited from it.”
How Teams Can Test Lasting Value Instead of Launch Excitement
The strongest defence against the novelty effect is measurement over time. [Wikipedia]WikipediaNovelty effectNovelty effectThe novelty effect is an effect of introducing new elements on some activity or behavior. Contents 1 In performance 2 In…
Rather than asking whether a feature generated attention immediately after release, teams can ask whether the benefits remain visible once users have settled into ordinary patterns of behaviour.
Useful approaches include:
Longitudinal measurement
Track outcomes for weeks or months rather than focusing only on launch-period metrics. Long-term studies are often necessary to separate novelty from sustained value. [Sage Journals]journals.sagepub.comSage JournalsA phased framework for long-term user acceptance of…Our 6-month home study deploying an interactive robot provides insigh…
[Retention-focused analysis]medium.comGoogle's HEART framework — A Critical EvaluationHEART stands for Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention and Task Success. Traditional…
Measure how many users continue using a feature after the initial exploration phase. Retention often reveals more than adoption alone. [Google Research]research.google.commore…
Comparison with control groups
Experiments can determine whether observed improvements persist after users become familiar with the experience. Research on online experimentation highlights the importance of accounting for novelty and user-learning effects when estimating long-term impact. [arXiv]arxiv.orgarXivMathematical Model of Emotional Habituation to Novelty: Modeling with Bayesian Update and Information TheoryJuly 2, 2019…
Task-based outcomes
Ask whether users complete tasks more effectively, not merely whether they spend more time interacting with the product. [Google Research]research.google.commore…
These methods shift attention from excitement to evidence.
The Fallacy Behind “Users Love It”
The early user novelty effect does not mean that new technologies fail. Many innovations ultimately provide substantial and lasting benefits. The logical error arises when temporary enthusiasm is treated as sufficient proof that a change is better.
In appeal-to-novelty reasoning, the hidden assumption is that because users are attracted to something new, the innovation must represent progress. The novelty effect demonstrates why that assumption is unreliable. Early engagement may be measuring surprise, curiosity, experimentation, or hype rather than enduring usefulness.
A more careful conclusion is that strong launch metrics show that people noticed the innovation. Whether the innovation genuinely improves the product is a separate question that can only be answered after the novelty has had time to wear off.
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Thinking, Fast and Slow
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Endnotes
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Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6952057/Source snippet
PMCBeyond novelty effect: a mixed-methods exploration into the...by G Shin · 2018 · Cited by 191 — This study explores the impact of nov...
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Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Title: j.1540 5915.2010.00292.x
Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2010.00292.xSource snippet
Wiley Online LibraryThe Effect of Perceived Novelty on the Adoption...Nov 24, 2010 — Results indicate that perceived novelty is a salien...
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Source: arxiv.org
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/1907.01355Source snippet
arXivMathematical Model of Emotional Habituation to Novelty: Modeling with Bayesian Update and Information TheoryJuly 2, 2019...
Published: July 2, 2019
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Source: arxiv.org
Title: arXiv Novelty and Primacy: A Long-Term Estimator for Online Experiments
Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2102.12893Source snippet
arXivNovelty and Primacy: A Long-Term Estimator for Online ExperimentsFebruary 18, 2021...
Published: February 18, 2021
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389716217_From_Novelty_to_Knowledge_A_Longitudinal_Investigation_of_the_Novelty_Effect_on_Learning_Outcomes_in_Virtual_RealitySource snippet
ResearchGateA Longitudinal Investigation of the Novelty Effect on...24 Mar 2025 — This study investigates how the novelty effect influen...
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Source: research.google.com
Link: https://research.google.com/pubs/archive/36299.pdfSource snippet
more...
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229055079_The_Effect_of_Perceived_Novelty_on_the_Adoption_of_Information_Technology_Innovations_A_RiskReward_PerspectiveSource snippet
nificant role in the adoption of IT innovations.Read more...
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/389748400_Hedonic_Adaptation_in_the_Age_of_AI_A_Perspective_on_Diminishing_Satisfaction_Returns_in_Technology_AdoptionSource snippet
hich people revert to a baseline state of happiness after drastic change provides a...Read more...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Novelty effect
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelty_effectSource snippet
Novelty effectThe novelty effect is an effect of introducing new elements on some activity or behavior. Contents 1 In performance 2 In...
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Source: profiles.wustl.edu
Title: the effect of perceived novelty on the adoption of information te
Link: https://profiles.wustl.edu/en/publications/the-effect-of-perceived-novelty-on-the-adoption-of-information-teSource snippet
WashU Research ProfilesThe Effect of Perceived Novelty on the Adoption...by JD Wells · 2010 · Cited by 419 — A fundamental characteristi...
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Source: digital-transformation.org
Title: Gregory Gimpel The Adoption of Hyped Technologies: A Qualitative Study
Link: https://www.digital-transformation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Adoption-of-Hyped-Technologies.pdfSource snippet
Gregory GimpelThe Adoption of Hyped Technologies: A Qualitative StudyJune 24, 2019 — by J Hedman · Cited by 128 — This research contribut...
Published: June 24, 2019
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Source: frontiersin.org
Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2022.741478/fullSource snippet
Why a Proper Investigation of Novelty Effects Within SHRI...by CV Smedegaard · 2022 · Cited by 33 — I argue that the treatment of novelt...
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Source: research.google
Link: https://research.google/pubs/measuring-the-user-experience-on-a-large-scale-user-centered-metrics-for-web-applications/Source snippet
Google ResearchUser-Centered Metrics for Web ApplicationsIn this note, we describe the HEART framework for user-centered metrics, as well...
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Source: journals.sagepub.com
Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1461444817727264Source snippet
Sage JournalsA phased framework for long-term user acceptance of...Our 6-month home study deploying an interactive robot provides insigh...
-
Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10515511/Source snippet
PMC - NIHby J Berner · 2023 · Cited by 23 — Technology enthusiasm and technology anxiety are attitudes that affect the relationship to th...
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Source: frontiersin.org
Link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cognition/articles/10.3389/fcogn.2023.1203077/fullSource snippet
The impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial...by M Shanmugasundaram · 2023 · Cited by 397 — This review aims to explo...
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Source: ixdf.org
Title: heart framework
Link: https://ixdf.org/literature/topics/heart-frameworkSource snippet
What is The HEART Framework? — updated 202627 Aug 2019 — The HEART Framework is a user-centered methodology that measures the quality of...
Additional References
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Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/%40dhruvghulati/google-s-heart-framework-a-critical-evaluation-a6694421daeSource snippet
Google's HEART framework — A Critical EvaluationHEART stands for Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention and Task Success. Traditional...
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Source: heartframework.com
Link: https://www.heartframework.com/Source snippet
Googles™ HEART FrameworkThe HEART framework measures the quality of the user experience by using five metrics which form the acronym: Hap...
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Source: semanticscholar.org
Link: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Effect-of-Perceived-Novelty-on-the-Adoption-of-Wells-Campbell/9b19ad46902af968445320b72f0f92db621b9149Source snippet
The Effect of Perceived Novelty on the Adoption...Perceived novelty is a salient affective belief that plays a significant role in the a...
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Source: openclassrooms.com
Link: https://openclassrooms.com/en/courses/4555961-apply-metrics-to-design-decisions/6736981-get-some-practice-by-using-the-heart-framework-to-determine-metricsSource snippet
Understand the value of quantitative and qualitative data · 2. Decide which metrics to collect · 3. Use Google Analytics...Read more...
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Source: hal.science
Title: VDEF The Role of Novelty in Consumer Curiosity by Product Type
Link: https://hal.science/hal-05420515/file/VDEF%20The%20Role%20of%20Novelty%20in%20Consumer%20Curiosity%20by%20Product%20Type.pdfSource snippet
The role of novelty in consumer curiosity by product typeby M Beck · 2025 · Cited by 3 — This research investigates the joint effect of p...
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Source: library.gv.com
Title: how to choose the right ux metrics for your product 5f46359ab5be
Link: https://library.gv.com/how-to-choose-the-right-ux-metrics-for-your-product-5f46359ab5beSource snippet
While helping Google product teams define UX metrics, we noticed that our suggestions tended to fall into five categories:.Read more...
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Source: sciencedirect.com
Title: How fast is this novel technology going to be a hit?
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733321002468Source snippet
by M Pezzoni · 2022 · Cited by 51 — We find that complex novel technologies resulting from combining dissimilar technological components...
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Source: sciencedirect.com
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266724212400099XSource snippet
omprehensive framework that systematically categorizes digital technologies...
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Source: emerald.com
Link: https://www.emerald.com/jpbm/article/29/3/387/449304/The-effect-of-consumer-generated-media-stimuli-onSource snippet
This paper aims to explore the relationships between website quality – through consumer-generated media stimuli-, emotions and...
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Source: mobiteam.de
Title: Google HEART Framework and UX Metrics
Link: https://mobiteam.de/en/google-heart-framework-and-ux-metrics-how-to-use-it/Source snippet
How To Use It13 Nov 2025 — This framework is responsible for measuring UX quality for web applications. If a team relies on results, this...
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