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Introduction
I embarked on an exciting journey to create an educational tool for young designers, focusing on dark patterns and how we discuss and tackle them. My vision was to provide an immersive, first-hand experience with these patterns through an interactive visual website. The ultimate goal was to empower emerging designers to spread awareness about dark patterns to their peers and colleagues.
Problem
The challenge at hand was addressing the harmful manipulation of users through dark patterns. While these tactics might yield short-term gains, they ultimately erode long-term trust. Dark patterns often leave users feeling uncomfortable and frustrated, which is counterproductive to building lasting relationships. By promoting transparency and steer away from dark patterns, websites can foster trust and cultivate a loyal following.
Tackling this issue was crucial as it directly impacts people's online experiences and the trust between users and websites. As designers, we bear the responsibility of creating ethical designs that prioritise user experience and respect user autonomy.
Results
Although my web-based simulation of dark patterns was a personal project and not fully implemented, it has sparked engaging conversations and debates. The simulation successfully educated people about unethical web design practices, highlighting user frustrations with online experiences. It also emphasised the accountability of designers and teams for their design choices. While there were no official metrics due to its nature as a personal project, it effectively achieved its primary objective: educating and informing emerging designers about dark patterns.
Research
I delved into academic resources to gain a comprehensive understanding of dark patterns and their impact on users. My research also encompassed online privacy issues, which helped shape potential solutions. The findings reinforced the harmful nature of dark patterns and underscored designers' responsibility to create ethical, user-centric designs. Moreover, the research highlighted the significance of transparent design in building long-term trust between users and websites.
The website data-aeternum served as a wellspring of inspiration during my project development. It deepened my understanding and bolstered my confidence to explore the topic further. The site's impressive design and informative content made for an engaging and educational experience. Its clean, elegant aesthetic influenced the design direction for my project's main
Screenshot from my documentation in Are.na
Design
The design process was an iterative journey, involving numerous revisions and key decisions. The final solution addressed the core problem and user needs through a web-based simulation of dark patterns, aimed at educating emerging designers.
The design tackled the issue head-on by creating an interactive visual experience that allowed users to encounter dark patterns firsthand and learn about the importance of transparent design. The website featured a curated selection of dark patterns, each accompanied by concise information. Users could explore 12 distinct journeys, each showcasing unique dark patterns and associated tasks. Upon completing each journey, users received valuable feedback on their experience and guidance on how to address these issues in their own work.
For the visual style, I opted for the Memphis design movement, intentionally creating confusing and distracting pages. This approach aligned with the overall concept of simulating confusing experiences while maintaining a minimalist aesthetic. The idea was initially conceptualised using physical shapes to map out the flow through the website's pages.
Implementation
While this project was not intended for full implementation, being a personal endeavour aimed at enhancing my understanding of UX design, it proved to be an invaluable learning experience. It allowed me to explore dark patterns and their effects on users in depth, and to devise a solution that could educate emerging designers about the importance of ethical design. Although not fully launched, the project yielded significant insights and learning opportunities that I can apply to future endeavours.
Reflection
This project has been a transformative experience, reinforcing the critical importance of ethical design principles and illuminating how unfair design can manipulate even simple interactions. Moving forward, I'm excited about the potential to expand this experience to encompass a broader range of ethical considerations in design. This could lead to the development of a comprehensive design standard, serving as a valuable reference for the industry.
I'm particularly enthusiastic about extending the project beyond the digital realm, creating a physical experience through print media. Another exciting possibility is the creation of a symbol, akin to the Fair Trade certification, for design work and company websites. This could foster a new layer of trust between businesses and their clients, as well as the broader online community.
Ultimately, this project has been a catalyst for personal and professional growth. It has reshaped my perspective on the internet's potential for transparency and ethical design. I'm optimistic about the future of design and its capacity to prioritise human-centred approaches from the outset.