Elevator Pitch
According to the witches of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, most magic is simply headology. This talk will mix literary references and outline the headology of interface design, from basic charms and illusions that fool and entice us to the unforgivable curses that can shape our thinking and behaviour.
Description
The field of psychology can help us to understand why we love certain experiences and hate others. With it we can explain how the use of language and animated illusions can make us fall in love with an experience and gives us a sense of empowerment. With more skill and a little moral flexibility it’s possible to use what we know about human behaviour to make an experience irresistible to the point of addiction. Beyond that, those who choose to embrace the dark arts fully have learned to confound and control our thinking, making us choose what they want us to choose and even deliberately causing pain that we might think twice before attempting certain actions.
Interface incantations will take us on a journey behind the disguise, subterfuge and misdirection, from the joy of simple charms to defence against the dark arts.
Notes
Part 1 : Illusions (conjuring with colour, words of power, toying with time) Part 2 : Confounding Charms (harnessing behavioural addiction) Part 3 : The Unforgivable Curses (dark patterns)
Slides are in 16:9 format in Keynote.
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