Friction Is a Feature: How the Best Apps Slow You Down
Why One Sec, Opal, and other apps deliberately add friction to break your scroll habits. The counter-trend to frictionless design that's actually working.
10 min read
Tag
#app-design
11 articles
Dark Patterns in Apps: A Field Guide to Digital Manipulation
Recognize the sneaky design tricks apps use to keep you hooked. From confirmshaming to roach motels, here's how to spot and sidestep digital manipulation.
11 min read
Why Red Notification Badges Work So Well (And How to Beat Them)
Red notification badges hijack your brain's threat detection system. Here's the psychology research behind why they work—and how to disable their power.
9 min read
The Man Who Invented Infinite Scroll Wishes He Hadn't
Aza Raskin created infinite scroll in 2006 and now regrets it. Here's how his invention became the default across every app you use.
11 min read
Pull-to-Refresh: The Slot Machine in Your Pocket
Why that downward swipe feels so addictive. The psychology behind pull-to-refresh and how social media apps turned your phone into a casino.
7 min read
Nir Eyal's Hooked Model: Why Your Apps Feel Impossible to Ignore
The four-step psychology loop that makes Instagram, TikTok, and your favorite apps so addictive. Here's how the Hooked Model works and what you can do about it.
9 min read
Indistractable by Nir Eyal: The Book the App Designer Wrote to Undo His Own Work
Honest review of Nir Eyal's 'Indistractable' — what works (time-boxing, identity shifts), what doesn't (blaming users), and how it compares to Digital Minimalism.
8 min read
Why Streaks Hook You: The Endowed Progress Effect Explained
The psychology behind why breaking a 47-day Duolingo streak feels devastating, and how apps exploit the endowed progress effect to keep you hooked.
8 min read
Variable Reward Schedules: Why Your Phone Is a Slot Machine
Apps use the same psychology as casinos to keep you hooked. Here's how variable reward schedules work and why your phone feels impossible to put down.
9 min read
Phone Addiction: The Complete Guide to Why You Can't Put It Down
Why your phone feels impossible to put down isn't about willpower—it's about design. Here's exactly how apps hijack your brain and what counts as addiction.
18 min read
How Apps Are Designed to Addict You (and How to Tell)
The persuasive design tricks that keep you scrolling aren't accidents. Here's how to spot the psychological manipulation built into your favorite apps.
15 min read