Evil by Design: Interaction Design to Lead Us into Temptation

Chris Nodder examines the intersection of interaction design and human psychology, arguing that digital interfaces are often engineered to exploit cognitive biases rather than facilitate user goals. The book explores how designers use visual cues, layout, and micro-interactions to create 'dark patterns' that nudge users toward specific actions, such as purchasing, subscribing, or sharing data, often against their immediate interests.

Written in a critical yet accessible register, the text serves as both a technical guide for designers and an ethical primer for consumers. Nodder analyzes real-world examples from web and mobile platforms to illustrate how subtle design choices can manipulate behavior, framing the discussion within the broader context of consumer ethics and digital responsibility. It is a concise, argument-driven work that highlights the moral weight of interface decisions.

Description adapted from Open Library bibliographic data ↗.