dark patterns in ux
DESCRIPTION
Dylan Thomas' presentation from World Usability Day on 14th November 2013. Dark patterns are anti-patterns with a nefarious purpose - intentionally flawed designs. Carefully-crafted ‘bad’ designs; built with a pinch of psychology and a healthy dose of trickery. This is an introduction to this interesting, and often fun, side of web design and some of the methods used by companies to swindle and snare their users. This is not user-centred design!TRANSCRIPT
Dark Patterns in UXA short guide to being evil
Who am I?
Dylan Thomas - @DylanLT (I’ve heard them all before)
User Experience Consultant for Box UK www.boxuk.com
What are Dark Patterns? An introduction to the dark side
Way back in 2010...Harry Brignull www.90percentofeverything.com
Dark Patterns: dirty tricks designers use to make
people do stuff
www.darkpatterns.org
Dark Patterns are...• Intentional anti-patterns • Designed with a good knowledge of human
psychology • Designed to manipulate or deceive the user • Tricks, traps and pitfalls
Psychology of Dark PatternsTools of the trade
Dark Triad
Narcissistic Psychopathic
Machiavellian
Machiavellianism
• Personal gain • Manipulation • Exploitation • Deception
Cognitive BiasesPeople’s tendencies to think a certain way, sometimes influencing them to make irrational decisions. !
• Heuristics - hard wiring in the brain • Motivations • Beliefs • Emotions
Cognitive Biases• Confirmation Bias • Ingroup Bias • Gambler’s Fallacy • Post-Purchase Rationalisation • Neglecting Probability • Projection Bias • Anchoring Effect
Why Dark Patterns are Used Why good designers go bad
Why Dark Patterns are Used• Aggressive environments and targets • Focus on simple KPIs
• More clicks • More sign-ups • More sales
• Blinkered view on success • Profit • Greed
Why am I telling you all this?Why it’s good to know the tricks
Why am I telling you all this?• If people know the tricks, they can avoid
falling for them • Companies can be shamed into changing
their practices • The psychology is interesting • It’s fun!
Roach MotelEasy to get in. Hard to get out.
Roach Motel An interface that makes it easy, and often enticing, for the user to get into a situation, but difficult for them to get out.
Roach MotelExample - Email newsletters • Make it very easy for a user to subscribe to
an email newsletter • Make the unsubscribe option difficult to find
• Bad navigation • Confusing forms • Multiple newsletters • Not have the option online at all
Forced ContinuityCancel at any time during the free period
Forced ContinuityA user signs up for a free trial of a service, but is asked for their credit card details. Once the free trial is over, the user is automatically billed. The user is not warned beforehand, and the site will often make it difficult to cancel (Roach Motel)
Forced Continuity
Hidden CostsWTF is a ‘convenience charge’?
Hidden CostsThe practice of adding on costs and charges at the end of a checkout process, that were not previously detailed.
Hidden Costs
• Facility charge • Convenience charge • Order processing fee • £2.50 to print out my own bloody tickets!
Trick QuestionTick this box to opt-out of not opting-in
Trick QuestionA question, when glanced upon briefly, appears to ask something one thing, but on closer inspection, is asking something else.
“We don’t read pages. We scan them” - Steve Krug
Trick Question
Trick Question
Trick Question
Trick Question
Disguised AdsDownload buttons, download buttons
everywhere.
Disguised AdsAdverts disguised as UI elements in order to trick users into clicking on them
Disguised Ads
Other Examples• Gambling
• Fruit machine design • “Snake oil” • Advertising • Retail • Inkjet printers • Banks and Credit Cards
Free to Play GamesAnd how cookies affect our resolve
Free to Play GamesVideo games that are free to acquire and play, but offer virtual items, currency, gameplay enhancements, and shortcuts for a price.
Free to Play GamesEgo Depletion Dr Roy Baumeister - Cape Western University
Free to Play Games
Free to Play Games
Free to Play Games
Free to Play Games
Free to Play Games
Free to Play Games
Free to Play Games
The Big Question
Should we use these techniques?• Yes • No • Maybe • It depends
Should we use these techniques?
User Experience should put the user first (In an ideal world)
Should we use these techniques?
Influencing the user isn’t always evil
and it’s rarely black or white
Should we use these techniques?
Pissed-off users are less likely to return
Should we use these techniques?
Business needs should be in line with the user’s needs
(In an ideal world)
To SummariseWhat I think about all this
To Summarise• Do be aware what you’re influencing the user
to do • Do have empathy • Do promote the benefits of user-centred design • Do have a holistic view of success • Don’t game the system • Don’t deceive the user • Don’t be evil
Thank you!Dylan Thomas - @DylanLT
South Wales Usability Discussion Group - @SW_UK