Deceptive Designer

Building and testing a game to teach users how to spot deceptive UX.

 
Role: Sole UX Researcher and Designer
Timeframe: 4 months (1 month development, 2 months user testing, 1 month refinement)
Project Type: Self-directed educational game on deceptive design.

Overview
Deceptive Designer is a visual novel-style educational video game that immerses players in a fictional digital world filled with manipulative user experiences. The game helps players recognize and understand dark patterns—deceptive interface strategies that exploit user behavior for commercial gain.

Inspired by award-winning educational games like Harmony Square and Bad News, the project aimed to raise awareness of unethical design practices and equip players with the knowledge to identify and resist them in real-world contexts.

        Project Goals:
        1.     Represent UX design principles effectively within an interactive game format.
        2.    Prototype a compelling and educational game experience.
        3.    Evaluate the game’s effectiveness through iterative user testing and feedback.

My Role
As the sole creator, I led this project from start to finish:

  • Planned and conducted all user research
  • Wrote the narrative and designed game mechanics
  • Built the game prototype
  • Conducted usability tests and synthesized findings into actionable design changes

Research & Testing Methods

Participants: 10 users over two rounds of testing

Methods used:
  • Initial Survey: Captured demographic data and prior knowledge of dark patterns.
  • Pre-Task Interviews: Explored users’ experiences with deceptive design online.
  • Usability Testing: Observed users as they played the game, noting navigation challenges, comprehension, and emotional reactions.
  • Post-Task Interviews: Collected in-depth feedback on gameplay experience, interface clarity, and educational value.

Key Insights  
        1. Unclear navigation slowed user progression and delayed learning.
        2. Narrative immersion increased engagement and improved educational outcomes.
        3. Users had difficulty understanding complex patterns like forced enrollment and sneak into basket, indicating a need for clearer in-game explanations.
        4. The retro interface design confused users unfamiliar with older operating systems, highlighting the importance of accessibility in visual design.
Prioritized Recommendations

Based on user feedback, I prioritized these changes:

        1. Clearer progression cues using visual and audio indicators to guide players through the narrative.
        2. Enhanced tutorials and contextual explanations for each descriptive pattern.
        3. Updated visual style from retro to modern minimalist to improve clarity and appeal across user groups.
        4. Instant feedback mechanism to reinforce learning when users correctly identify dark patterns.
Lessons Learned
  • Iterative testing revealed that overly abstract design can alienate users. Shifting to a narrative-driven format made the educational message more accessible and engaging.
  • A successful educational game must balance entertainment and clarity—engagement drives retention, but structure and guidance are key.
  • Designing for a general audience requires simplifying complex concepts without losing depth, ensuring both novices and experienced users benefit