Project: Measuring Me
For all day Wednesday– from when you wake up to when you go to sleep– track your time. Please do this in 15 minute intervals. Just write what you are doing and that’s all. Bring it in class to discuss.
This is a great chance to find a good lifelogger tool. However, if you want to use paper, feel free. Just make sure it’s legible! Also, ask yourself “how will I remember to do this? ”
Take a photo or screenshot and upload here.
1.1 Why Behavior Matters in Design
Every time you pick up your phone, tap a button, or scroll through a feed, you’re responding to design. Some designs help us build good habits—nudging us to drink more water, save money, or exercise. Others trap us in loops—doomscrolling, binge-watching, or impulsively shopping at midnight (thanks, targeted ads). But here’s the kicker: whether intentional or not, all design influences behavior.
Design Shapes Behavior—For Better or Worse
Designers are architects of choice. Every app, every product, every system we create pushes people toward certain behaviors while making others harder. Some of this is good design: putting the snooze button far away from the dismiss button so people don’t oversleep. Some of it is dark design: making it painfully hard to cancel a subscription. And some of it is just… accidental.
Let’s talk about default settings. They seem small, right? A checkbox left unchecked or a form auto-filling your email. But defaults are powerful. Consider organ donation:
- Countries like Denmark, Germany, and the UK have low organ donor rates.
- Countries like Austria, Belgium, and France have high organ donor rates.
Why? It’s not because people in the second group are more generous. It’s because in Denmark and the UK, you have to opt in to organ donation, while in Austria and France, you have to opt out. That one tiny default changes everything.
All Design Is Behavior Design
When we talk about behavior change, we’re not just talking about getting people to floss more or use their reusable coffee cups. We’re talking about every interaction.
- Google Maps changes how we navigate.
- Duolingo makes learning a game.
- Your smartwatch scolds you for sitting too long.
- That “Are you still watching?” Netflix prompt? A subtle nudge to take a break (or ignore your responsibilities).
Some of this design is thoughtful and intentional. Some of it is accidental. And some of it is downright manipulative.
The Ethics of Influence
Here’s the hard part: where do we draw the line?
- A fitness app reminding you to stand = helpful.
- A social media feed engineered to keep you scrolling at 2 AM = not so great.
- A website making it nearly impossible to unsubscribe? That’s dark UX at work.
As designers, we have a responsibility. When we build products that change behavior, we need to ask:
- What behavior are we trying to change?
- Who benefits from this change? (The user? The company? Both?)
- Are we creating unintended consequences?
Because here’s the truth: behavior change isn’t neutral. Whether we’re designing for good, profit, or just fun, we’re shaping how people live, think, and act. We might as well do it thoughtfully.
Next Up: How Habits Work
If behavior is the foundation, habits are the bricks. In the next section, we’ll explore why people do what they do, how habits form, and what designers can do to support positive behaviors without crossing ethical lines.