Honest Design

The early evidence suggests it does. When privacy information was easy to see, some shoppers paid more to buy from more protective sellers; showing what a product cost to make raised sales by about a fifth in two field tests; and many people avoid offers that are hard to leave. Some honest choices can lower sales in the moment, so the long run gains are promising but not yet fully tested.

What the report found

1. Honest design is becoming the standard. In the UAE, the federal government's design system follows international accessibility guidelines, data law asks for consent, and consumer law asks for clear prices and terms. In a 2024 survey, 43 per cent of UAE consumers named easy cancellation and refunds as reasons to stay loyal.
2. Design moves decisions. In one classic experiment, twice as many people agreed to be contacted when they had to opt out as when they had to opt in. In later studies, the layout of a single consent screen shifted agreement by about 20 percentage points.
3. Pressure works briefly, and people notice. In a large experiment, mild pressure more than doubled sign ups for a service and heavy pressure almost quadrupled them, but heavy pressure drew a strong backlash.
4. Openness pays. When privacy information was easy to see, some shoppers paid more to buy from more protective sellers. Showing what a product cost to make raised sales by about a fifth in two field tests, and giving people more control nearly doubled the response to personalised advertising.
5. The long run is still open. Showing all fees at the start lowered purchases in one field experiment, while offers that renewed themselves put some people off signing up in another. Whether honest design builds lasting loyalty is the key question still to be tested.

What is inside

1. What is new
2. What older research tells us
3. What early studies suggest
4. What nobody knows yet
5. Questions worth watching

Plus an evidence maturity map, a scenario grid, a list of signals to watch and five tests of an honest interface.

Who it is for

For product designers, UX writers, marketers, digital service teams and anyone who builds or uses the screens where choices are made.

How we work

Frontier Reports separate what is established from what is emerging and what remains untested. Every claim is graded, and where researchers disagree, as they do on whether honest design costs sales or builds them, both sides are set out before we say where we stand.

Cite this report

The Why We Project (2026) Honest design: Interfaces that respect their users. Frontier Report No. 16. Dubai: Why We Tech Ltd. Available at: thewhyweproject.com