Ambush UX Practices

1. What does this mean to you?

2. Black Hat UX: Ambush

3. The Distinction
White Hat UX
“some amount of mischief […] expected
— if not encouraged.
“It’s fun to think like an attacker, but
work on the good side.
http://www.refinery29.com/female-white-hat-hackers-google-chrome
Black Hat UX
“interface[s] that ha[ve] been …
crafted to trick users into doing
things…”
http://darkpatterns.org/

4. Examples in UI: Hidden Costs
• A hidden cost occurs when a user gets to the last step of the checkout
process, only to discover some unexpected charges have appeared,
e.g. delivery charges, tax, etc.

5. Examples in UI: Misdirection

6. The Ambush: A Tale of Trams
http://fantasygallery.net/mcevoy/

7. Ambiguity: What does the designer intend?

8. What does this mean to you?

9. Activity: Find the Icon Meaning

10. The Ambush:
Inconsistent Layout The Business Response
• “It is on the website…
• “You can come to HQ and get the
information…
• “You have the responsibility to
do…
Though it is the same medium…

12. Ever had an experience?