Fictional interface
Start with the visible words. Then choose a button to explore what the action may set in motion.
Who Gets the Treat?
Complete this activity on your own or with your family. Choose a fictional interface, then map what you notice, what the person receives, what the platform or business may gain and what may be happening behind the scenes. Your map is a conversation starter, not a test.
An incentive is not automatically harmful. This activity helps you describe the exchange before deciding what you think about it.
Teacher and classroom note
Use pairs or small groups. Ask learners to name the visible words first, then separate observation, interpretation and unknowns. There is no answer key. Invite different readings and ask what evidence would help settle them.
Useful terms
Business metricA business metric is something an organisation measures, such as viewing time, trial sign-ups, daily returns or sales.
ScarcityScarcity means something appears limited by time or quantity. The limit may be real, but the interface alone may not tell us how it was set.
Incentive mapper
Choose a fictional scenario
These are invented examples.
1 of 4
- 01 Notice
- 02 User benefit
- 03 Platform benefit
- 04 Behind the scenes
Your fictional incentive map
Who Gets the Treat?
·
Clearly fictional example
Observation
What you observed
Offered return
What the person receives
Platform or business benefit
What the platform or business may gain
Behind the scenes
What may be happening behind the scenes
Discuss next
One useful question to ask
What would we check before deciding?
Where did we agree? What did we notice differently?
Rosie’s Field Notes
One fictional interface. Four questions. A useful conversation.
Before you tap, buy or keep scrolling, map the exchange. What do you notice, what does the user receive, what might the platform or business gain, and what may be happening behind the scenes?
Browse current Field Notes →