In this closing talk for Humanise The Web, I discuss 3 of the key areas we deal with on a day-to-day basis, from email and commercial websites, to instant messaging and social media platforms. We'll explore examples of bad tech (what they are and how they work), and I'll offer some 'humanised' alternatives that not only aim to meet our goals more goals effectively, but also to empower us with better habits that help us make the most of our time and attention.

1. Nathalie Nahai
Humanising The Web

2. Humanise The Web
We’ve talked about some of the more abstract
challenges we’re facing, now I want to look at 3 of
the areas we deal with on a day-to-day basis
@NathalieNahai

3. From abstract to concrete…

4. Real world examples
@NathalieNahai
1 Email

5. Real world examples
@NathalieNahai
1 Email
2 Commercial websites

6. Real world examples
@NathalieNahai
1 Email
2 Commercial websites
3 Social / instant messaging

7. Real world examples
@NathalieNahai
1 Email
2 Commercial websites
3 Social / instant messaging

8. 1. Email

9. What do you think your email
‘wants’ you to do?

10. @NathalieNahai

11. Notifications
@NathalieNahai
• Create dopamine loops
• Encourage greater use of said tool
• Lower productivity through constant interruption

12. Humanised examples

13. @NathalieNahai
m

19. Real world examples
@NathalieNahai
1 Email
2 Commercial websites
3 Social / instant messaging

20. 2. Commercial websites

21. Dark patterns

22. Dark patterns
@NathalieNahai
User interfaces designed to
trick people into taking a certain
course of action

32. Humanised examples

40. Real world examples
@NathalieNahai
1 Email
2 Commercial websites
3 Social / instant messaging

41. 3. Social / instant messaging

42. Facebook Messenger

43. @NathalieNahai

44. Facebook Messenger
@NathalieNahai
• Non-explicit permission
• Not clearly defined what you’re signing up for
• UK law doesn’t protect you from being monitored in
this way

45. Humanised examples

46. @NathalieNahai

47. @NathalieNahai

48. @NathalieNahai

49. Signal (iOS app)
@NathalieNahai
• End-to-end encrypted voice calling and text
• Heavy security
• Good usability (as simple as iPhone’s default apps)

50. @NathalieNahai

51. @NathalieNahai

52. @NathalieNahai

53. @NathalieNahai

54. Twitter’s default settings
@NathalieNahai
• You have to opt-in to disclose your location
• Protects location of vulnerable people (e.g. activists)
• But stripping out metadata also removes any name
and copyright info

55. @NathalieNahai
Hacking the habit

56. @NathalieNahai
Hacking the habit

57. Where does this leave us?

58. As individuals…
We need to be more conscious of what
we’re signing up to, and how our technology
is shaping our behaviour
@NathalieNahai

59. As a society…
The law needs to actively protect our
individual rights within this new tech driven
paradigm of communication & economics
@NathalieNahai

60. As businesses…
We need to be leading this change.
We need to provide better alternatives that not only
provide profitable, long-term products and service;
but also empower clients, build trust and create a
better world for all of us.
@NathalieNahai

61. A word on ‘best practice’

62. How to sort the good from the bad?
We don’t yet have an accepted, objective standard
against which to judge these cases.
@NathalieNahai

63. A word on best practice…
‘Best’ should mean ‘long term and holistic’,
not ‘quick and easy’.
It shouldn’t be about quick tactical wins, but about
long term benefit to business and society as a whole.
@NathalieNahai

64. My rules of thumb
• Does it facilitate, not coerce?
• Is it mutually beneficial (helps them & helps you)?
• If you were the ‘user’ how would you feel about being
on the receiving end?
@NathalieNahai

65. It’s up to us to create a set of
standards that work

66. A humanised approach
@NathalieNahai
1 Long-term

67. A humanised approach
@NathalieNahai
1 Long-term
2 Connected

68. A humanised approach
@NathalieNahai
1 Long-term
2 Connected
3 Empowering

69. And to become aware of how
our tech is affecting us

70. bit.ly/WebHealthSurvey

71. 1 Utility
2 Social
3 Absorption
4 Narcissism
5 Insomnia
6 Negative outcomes

72. Let’s begin
Thanks!

73. Harness persuasive technology for good