Mobile application Design User experience: Dark mode explanation

Article Description: when Apple released the IOS6, the ad-tracking function in the new features was not deliberately discussed. You know what? Apple assigns a unique "logo" to each device to track the user's browsing activities. Advertisers can push targeted ads accordingly. Even if the tracking service is anonymous, it will still make people who care about privacy feel uncomfortable.

Harry Bunu (Harry brignull) is a British user experience designer with a PhD in cognitive science. He is also the founder of the Dark Patterns (Dark Mode) website. The site's role, in his words, is "exposing the deceptive Web site user interface design tool." Here's what the foreign media has sorted out based on his speech this April.

When Apple released the IOS6, the ad-tracking function in the new features was not deliberately discussed. You know what? Apple assigns a unique "logo" to each device to track the user's browsing activities. Advertisers can push targeted ads accordingly. Even if the tracking service is anonymous, it will still make people who care about privacy feel uncomfortable.

Fortunately, Apple provides a way to turn off this feature. However, you will not find this option in your privacy settings. You need to go to "General", click on "About this machine", and finally find the service and license terms at the bottom of the menu, one of which is "limit ad tracking." How tricky this means that when the function is off, the user is actually authorized to track the ad, you must set to ON. This example is what I call the "dark mode" of the user experience.

What is dark mode

The so-called "dark mode" refers to the design of an inductive interface to allow users to do things that are not normally done, such as buying insurance. "Dark Mode" is completely different from what we call "poor design". "Poor design" is a level problem without any malice, but the "dark model" is based on a deep understanding of human psychology and does not take into account the interests of users.

The design approach taken by the dark model is often a well-known principle, such as the Nielsen Usability 10 principle. If we put the three principles in reverse, we can explain the design examples on Apple.
Visibility of System state: Hide important information, conceal important system state with ambiguous icon, misleading information.
Match the system to the real details: Don't describe the problem in the way the user used to, use some vague words to make the user think that what he wants is the opposite.
User restrictions and freedoms: using the user's love to err, induce them to make occasional mistakes to achieve their goals.

Dark mode One: misleading questions

This approach is often used in marketing mail. When you register in the website to get the relevant information, often see whether to receive the website mail question. If the user is busy, then they generally do not notice such information, the effectiveness of this marketing method is therefore not too high. But some sites force users to choose, otherwise users will not be able to browse the content further.

But as Apple uses the method, if the site hides this option, and the default user accepts mail, it becomes the so-called dark mode. For example, the post-office.co.uk Web site is set as a non mandatory option, but the user clicks on it to indicate that he or she does not accept the message. In this way, those who are careless have fallen into the full set. They were outraged by the site's practices and eventually questioned the credibility of the site. Royalmail.co.uk Web site, it has a two-line selection box, the first row to indicate the refusal to accept the message, and the second line is selected to indicate acceptance of the message, the user is easy to make mistakes.

Dark Mode II: Forced renewal

Another form of dark mode is forced renewal.

TheLadders.com is a very large job search site in the United States, has a history of 9 years, currently employs 400. If you sign up for a free account and then click on the "Apply" button for a job, you'll see a billing page. In other words, upgrade to a fee account to apply for certain jobs. And the site also prohibits users from replicating posts because they do not want users to use search engines such as Google to discover the true source of information. In fact, many posts can be applied for free on other websites.

The real trick is when you upgrade to a billing user. The site will be marked on the charge page of the monthly or annual charges, but the monthly fee automatically renewed information on the bottom of the page, in the gray background with a small line of small print, the same way as Apple.

The third of Dark mode: false inducement

Imagine that you're searching for "You can't empty the Clipboard in Excel." You find that experts Exchange has the answer. The design of the site allows you to mistake the payment to see the answer.
In fact, you'll find the answer is at the bottom of the page.

Since 2007, it has used this method to trick users into subscribing to the service.

"Dark Mode" appears to be immediate, but not long-term. Expert Exchange's tricks are so greedy that angry users end up turning to their rivals. Good design and good business creativity require empathy with the user. Not only does it do business, but so should society.

It is short-sighted to look at user usage only. A good brand needs people's favor. A great brand needs people's love and respect. The dark mode will never let you go that far.