Most of the times we hear design for engagement or for better user experiences. Why don’t we design for happiness? Who is interested in happy users? I will give various examples of games and websites whose success depends on many things but joy and pleasure. Probably the key is in their information architecture and consequently in their interaction design. We as designers have an enormous responsibility for users’ behaviours. How much aware are we of our designs implications? And how much are the users? To me, happiness in UX is the absence of frustration. Let's fight 'dark patterns' to make a more free Internet. If you want to learn about Dark Patterns: www.darkpatterns.org

1. Happiness has to do with clarity
Barcelona - February 21th, 2015
Marc Miquel Ribé

2. User Happiness
User Experience
107.000 results
Who is interested in user happiness?
106.000.000 results
540.000 resultsUser Engagement

3. Happiness is a mental or emotional state of
well-being characterized by positive or
pleasant emotions ranging from contentment
to intense joy.
English Wikipedia

4. “Happiness is the
absence of pain”
John Stuart Mill

5. “Happiness in User Experience
is the absence of frustration”

6. Business Goals
1) More visitors/users = more revenue
2) Longer user interactions = more revenue
3) More return visits = more revenue
4) More interaction = more users = …
More is more!!!

7. Use your knowledge on IA
and Interaction Design…
And I will measure it!
WELCOME TO…
DARK PATTERNS!

8. Videogambling Machine
+
Let me introduce you to…
THE VIDEOGAMBLING MACHINE!

9. 1 # Tension and release

10. 2 # False Control

11. 3 # Easy in, difficult out.

12. 4 # Jackpot never stops

13. 5 # Proportional-Community Jackpot

14. 6 # Losses Disguised As Wins

15. 7 # Near-Misses: almost winning?

16. 8 # Credits are not money (!)

17. 9 # Auto-play Button
“My body was there,
outside the machine”

18. Is it any useful to know
the math?
10 # Different players,
different Math

19. Games are fun!

20. Business Goals
1) Longer play = more revenue
2) Higher bets = more revenue
Videogambling
- User must forget the odds
- False control and miscommunication
Jungle Speed
- Clear number of cards
- Ability matters

21. Addiction by design
Very tricky interfaces
Unrealistic communication
False promises
Environment design
…
Distance between user needs and reality.
Frustration, addiction, isolation,…

25. Website darkpatterns.org

27. Design Asymmetry

28. What can we do…
as users,
as designers?

29. Design Awareness
As users…

30. As designers…

32. THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS?
Please Contact:
Marc Miquel Ribé
darkpatterns.org
marcmiquel@gmail.com | twitter @marcmiquel