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Anti-patterns: the dark side of usability and interaction

David Cruz
April 11, 2014

Anti-patterns: the dark side of usability and interaction

Usability (and UX, as a wider thematic area) has lately been gaining awareness by the Web community. But while most of us are using it to improving our users' experience on our websites, some are using the findings of usability research and interaction design to trick the users as a mean to improve their profit.

As a two-edged sword, you may be tempted to use anti-patterns to improve your profits, but the main motivation is to teach you, as a Internet user, to identify and avoid them, and as a Web designer/developer to introduce inadvertently any kind of anti-pattern into your products or sites.

David Cruz

April 11, 2014
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Transcript

  1. interaction patterns are… • a solution for: 
 intent →

    action → outcome • a beacon for consistency • a way to do things efficiently
  2. characteristics • interfere with point of the flow: 
 intent

    → action → outcome • makes users perform poorly • have unexpected side effects
  3. • “oh so flat” design • infinite scroll • carousel

    • NASCAR effect • content pagination • low signal to noise ratio
 …
  4. Carousels exist to keep people from beating the shit out

    of each other in meetings. — @brad_frost
  5. • some icons start as metaphors and transform into idioms

    • metaphors are recognised • idioms have to be learned
  6. characteristics • tricks the user • discloses information • forces

    users to do something they don’t intend to • sneak things without the user knowing
  7. characteristics • tricks the user • discloses information • forces

    users to do something they don’t intend to • sneak things without the user knowing
  8. some dark patterns • bait and switch • disguised ads

    • faraway bill • forced continuity • forced disclosure • friend spam • hidden costs • misdirection • privacy zuckering • roach motel • sneak into basket • trick question
 …
  9. faraway bill bills are sent digitally.
 it is less likely

    that user notice unexpected additions
  10. friend spam A site or game asks for your credentials.


    Promotes itself by publishing or sending messages on your behalf.
  11. some references • http://sideproject.io/outdated-ux-patterns/ • http://darkpatterns.org/ • https://github.com/Snugug/north#anti- patterns •

    http://alistapart.com/article/dark- patterns-deception-vs.-honesty-in-ui-design • http://bradfrostweb.com/blog/post/ carousels/