Correction my completion time was 20 MINUTES NOT 3 MINUTES. My first screenshot of my results did not save.

Reflection:

UI was definitely difficult! I was frustrated since the very beginning of completing this task. The webpage felt and looked sketchy:

“Hide Key information”

• It had very security-compromising questions at the very start. Where the password requirements were posted on the bottom in very small font sizes and in green, against the (hard to see) blue webpage background colour
• When I filled out the personal identification questions,, I realized that the layout was very similar to the old Facebook website
• When uploading a PNG image, I was VERY careful to use a random picture of anything I could find in my documents/downloads
• Time running out pop-ups

The uploading was very undesirable for the user. I felt as if I compromised my personal information and went through the game as quick as I could because of the constant reminders on time.

“Benefit from mistakes”

• Finally – the end of UI was the most difficult in terms of proving that I was a human. There were selection categories which asked which images were of “checks, circles, and bows”. At first, I chose answers that matched the grammatical structure of the questions. But I soon realized that at the end, it didn’t really matter. UI wanted all boxes and images ticked off. I must’ve spent at least 10 minutes on this section before I clued in that I needed to select all images. I was defaulting my answers to get through with the game.

The picture selection was most manipulative – in its ability to manipulate user responses and user comprehension. The site was intentionally designed to manipulate basic user literacy and reversed key functions with colour coordination, page layout, pop-ups, and submission of certain responses.

At numerous moments, I wanted to quit and close down my tab. I either felt super annoyed or felt as if the game was going to give my laptop a virus at any point. As a user, the site design, buttons, and questions felt unsafe. But I learned a lot from UI in terms of “applied deception.”

References:

Bagaar. (2019). User InyerfaceLinks to an external site. [web game].

Brignull, H. (2011). Dark patterns: Deception vs. honesty in UI design.Links to an external site. A List Apart, 338.