Why bad UX is often a business decision, not a design failure

Summary

This article explores how poor user experience (UX) in digital products is often the result of deliberate business decisions rather than design failures. It uses the example of subscription cancellation flows that are intentionally made difficult — showing users what they'll lose, hiding the cancel button, and adding friction — to maximize retention and revenue. The piece argues that these "dark patterns" prioritize business metrics over user needs, and that designers are often forced to implement them despite ethical concerns.

Source

bskyWhy bad UX is often a business decision, not a design failureuxdesign.cc