Agency
Effective digital nudges give users a sense of being in control, empowering them rather than placing limits on what they can do. Cognitive psychology shows that at the core of the human experience is the sense of being ‘an agent’, a ‘self’ that persists through the human’s lifetime. The agent’s need for identity, autonomy, mastery, purpose and connection are fundamental drivers of its behavior. Agency comes from a simultaneous quality of freedom and control experienced by the agent.
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Spotify (01)
Users are uncomfortable about being tracked. Spotify tackles this discomfort head-on in this dialog, emphasising that the user is the one in control. By framing the dialog in terms of control, Spotify drives the user to continue allow tracking and not opt out of the behavior entirely. The last sentence helps the user postpone the difficulty of making a complex choice in the moment, and instead defer the ‘real’ decision for later. Note how the option to ‘choose’ actually does not allow the user any other choice than to opt in - this may not go down well with all users.
Principles at work
Default Effect
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Tesla Insurance (01)
Tesla Insurance now sets premiums based on driving behavior. By linking premium costs directly to how well someone drives, Tesla allows users to have more control over their monthly payments, giving them agency where they previously had none, and enabling them to lower their premiums by improving their driving habits.
Image source: https://electrek.co/2021/10/14/tesla-officially-launches-insurance-using-real-time-driving-behavior-texas/
This cutting-edge nudge introduced in 2021, has a few important impacts. First, it removes the unclear pricing of traditional insurance products, which left drivers guessing about how their premiums were set. It also potentially shifts reliance on pricing from being purely algorithmic to something the drivers have more control over. Additionally, it gamifies the driving experience, bring more engagement to driving itself over just being motivated by getting from A to B.
A key component in Tesla’s Insurance structure is the its Safety Score, underpinned by the Forced Autopilot Disengagement mechanism. The safety scoring system, including Forced Autopilot Disengagement, incentives drivers to use Tesla's autopilot more often by directly impacting their insurance premiums. This system essentially nudges drivers towards safer, more autonomous driving behaviors by linking their insurance costs to their use of autopilot, thus aligning with Tesla’s broader mission to promote autonomous vehicle adoption.
However, there is a psychological downside to this pricing innovation. Drivers now have to manage their driving performance, adding mental effort to something they didn't focus on before. Previously, there were no direct consequences for poor driving unless it resulted in an accident. Now, good driving can save money, but poor driving increases premiums, introducing stress into the driving experience. If there's no cap on the maximum premium, some drivers might end up paying significantly more, potentially leading to frustration and even aggressive driving, creating a negative feedback loop.
Principles at work
Affect Heuristic
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Fabulous (01)
Right at the beginning of its app experience, Fabulous emphasizes agency and control during onboarding. The app leverages the authority of a big name, Harvard, using this Authority Bias to nudge users towards committing to future water drinking behavior. This acts as a Pre-Commitment Device, encouraging users to make a present promise to motivate their future selves.
Principles at work
Authority Bias
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Fabulous (02)
Despite the more effective nudge discussed above, Fabulous doesn't maintain the promise of user agency as the app journey progresses. While it offers a wealth of interesting content, the overwhelming amount of information on each screen undermines the initial sense of control. Notice the call-to-action at the bottom of the screen overlapping the individual cards - also potential journey starting points - within it. This results in users feeling a loss of agency, facing a choice between strictly following the app's guidance or abandoning it altogether. A balanced approach, offering more flexibility and personalisation, could restore a sense of control and enhance the user experience.
Principles at work
Attention Ratio
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iOS (01)
When a user first starts using an app, in this case Jumbo, iOS provides a notifications overlay that allows users more control over how the app interacts with them . The overlay does this in two ways: it lets users either turn off notifications entirely, or then choose how notifications do appear. Notice that qualitative words like ‘prominently’ and ‘quietly’ are not common within UIs, where more direct, less nuanced language is preferred. By using such words to enhance user agency, Apple is communicating on an emotional level that they care deeply about the product experience.
Principles at work
Affect Heuristic
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Zoom (01)
The phrase "Running out of time?" makes it seem like the user is at fault, when in reality, Zoom is imposing the time limit for monetization purposes. Instead, Zoom could inform the user that the current meeting will continue but the next free meeting will be limited to 10 minutes. This would help users plan their usage and derive value from the product. By not disrupting the current activity, Zoom would earn user goodwill and allow them to consider upgrading in a more relaxed state of mind.
Currently, Zoom threatens to end a free user's ongoing meeting, which forces them to leave, purchase the product, and set up a new meeting—a complicated and inconvenient process for participants. This approach might discourage users from upgrading and leave them dissatisfied.
Principles at work
Loss Aversion
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Adobe CC (01)
This dialog is framed as Adobe wanting to create the best experience for the user. However, it doesn’t ask if the user is okay with sharing personal data to help improve the product. This should always be a choice. Instead, it feels like Adobe is extracting data from the user without clear consent, undermining their sense of control right from the start. Users might feel their agency is being hijacked, worrying that this data extraction could continue throughout their use of the product, even after creating valuable assets. This approach doesn't build trust with a brand that promotes creative freedom and empowerment. Many users might end up providing minimal or false information just to get through the download process, also introducing some friction into the onboarding process.
Principles at work
Reactance
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Medium (01)
Before a user publishes an article on Medium that has been directly exported from another platform, they encounter this important screen. It's a crucial moment because once an article is published on Medium, it can quickly reach a new audience and gather reactions.Many platforms would rush users through this process, assuming that instant publishing is the best way to go. They believe that cutting down the time and effort for users is in everyone's best interest. However, Medium takes a different approach. This screen gives users a moment to pause and reflect, allowing them to take control of the publishing process instead of letting it rush ahead.
Principles at work
Action Bias
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ChatGPT (01)
The abrupt "You've hit the Free plan limit for GPT-40" nudge from ChatGPT feels like a failed digital nudge. While the user can start a new chat and continue using the service, more important workflows often require longer context windows. Asking the user to start a new chat effectively increases the user’s cognitive load significantly to manually carry over their task. This disruption in workflow undermines the user's sense of agency.
It’s understandable that OpenAI wants to monetize its service and is using this approach as an effective, though potentially painful, lever towards that goal. Users who see the value in the service may choose to pay for a subscription. However, for those who are not yet convinced or who cannot make a purchase in the moment for some reason, this nudge could backfire. For users working on important or urgent tasks, an unexpected barrier like this can erode trust and create a perception of the company as controlling and inconsiderate, potentially driving users to seek alternative platforms. A more effective approach to win the trust and goodwill of users might be to provide advance notice—perhaps a few hours or even a day ahead—allowing them to plan accordingly and avoid workflow disruption.
Principles at work
Loss Aversion