The article’s author argues that UX design is not just about crafting interfaces, but also about engaging in a form of rhetorical discourse with users. Rhetoric’s foundations are explained through communication, language, and discourse. Furthermore, the aims of rhetoric (persuasion, clarity, mutual understanding) are applicable to UX design. Because every interaction communicates meaning, designers are using rhetoric, shaping how users interpret and respond to digital products. Studying rhetoric can enrich how designers think about intent, structure, and the ethical dimensions of design.

A cloud storage app notifies users: “You’re about to lose access to your backed-up files unless you upgrade your plan.” Even if the cost of upgrading feels high, the fear of losing files motivates users more strongly than the potential benefits of added features. UX leverages Loss Aversion by framing the decision around avoiding a loss rather than gaining something new.

A travel booking site uses progressive disclosure by splitting the booking process into clear steps (“Select Flight → Enter Passenger Info → Payment”) instead of showing all fields and options at once. This reduces the mental effort required to process information, lowering cognitive load. UX makes a complex task feel easier by minimizing the amount of information users must handle at one time.

A subscription app shows the “Premium Plan” at $29/month first, then lists the “Standard Plan” at $15/month right below it. Even if $15 is still more than the user initially wanted to spend, it feels like a better deal compared to the higher anchor price. UX leverages Anchoring Bias by setting a reference point that makes the cheaper option appear more attractive.

An e-commerce app shows a list of 10 recommended products, but places the most profitable items at the top (primacy effect) and the bottom (recency effect) of the list. Users are more likely to notice and remember these items compared to those in the middle. UX leverages the Serial Position Effect to highlight products that matter most to the business.

In a music player app, the “Play/Pause” button is made larger and placed in the bottom center of the screen, within easy thumb reach. Because larger and closer targets take less time to click or tap (per Fitts’s Law), this design speeds up user interaction for the most frequent action. UX reduces effort and improves efficiency by making the most-used control both bigger and easier to reach.

A food delivery app initially shows users only three clear categories, “Meals,” “Snacks,” and “Drinks” on the home screen. Instead of overwhelming them with dozens of restaurant choices at once, the app reduces decision time by narrowing options step by step, aligning with Hick’s Law (the more choices presented, the longer it takes to decide).

An investment app shows users a "Top Gainers" section with stocks that have recently risen in value. A user who already believes a stock they like is a "winner" is more likely to click on it, because the app reinforces their existing belief, instead of encouraging them to consider risks or alternative options. The UX design in this example fuels confirmation bias by confirming prior beliefs rather than balancing the perspective.

This is the reason my friend wont buy a new headset when his mic quality is terrible lol. I believe this engages the concept of collectability as well, in which a growing collection garners a bloated sell value. One benefit though is it is creatively beneficial to have a self-served platform, which popular programs like photoshop encourage through full customization of the tools panel.

There is an awareness that is, in my opinion, to be instructed towards implementation of progress-based gamifications, like achievements in a game- or in shadier cases profit bonuses in gambling. It can be manipulative to vulnerable users to implement loss aversion, evident in common scamming tactics as well.

I had the opportunity to research Skeuomorphism for Human Computer Interaction. I learned that current AI models struggle to develop skeuomorphic designs- resulting in favor to this development concept. Additionally, the principle of affordance reinforces accessibility in web design: commonly found in toggles that resemble light switches and art that directly inferences a button's meaning (ex. house = home).

Nick Barney: Skeuomorphism, Loss Aversion & Endowment Effect

Center this and change the text color to black. This will ensure credit is given to the author and any other services used on the site.

Hello! This is Nick Barney. This is a pretty good website to teach html with, providing some room for improvement too.

This is completely unreadable. I'd recommend a text color that better matches the background. An alternative color that would draw attention and be readable could be dark green, or just use black.