Mind Games

Today's Class

• What is User Experience?
• What Does a User Experience person do?
• Motivations and Biases
• Habits and Dark Patterns
• Workshop!

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.

User Experience Jobs

• Visual Designer
• Interaction Designer
• UX Writer
• User Researcher

Motivations

Motivations

• Extrinsic - Something that is rewarding because you get something.
• Intrinsic - Something that is rewarding because it is fun.

Understanding Bias

Biases

• Curiosity Gap - We want to fill in gaps in information
• Anchor Bias - We compare things against the first thing we see
• Sunk Cost Bias - Items that are owned/invested are given greater value. (related to the Endowment Effect)
• Labor Illusion - We value things more if we perceive they took more work.

Habit Formation

Habit Loop

• Trigger
• Action
• Variable Reward
• Investment

Dark Patterns

Dark Patterns

• Trick Questions
• Confirm-shaming
• Friend Spam
• Misdirection

Workshop

• Prompt: Motivate someone to conserve water.
• Consider: How will you motivate them? How will you help them create their habit loop?

Questions