Strategies of Intentional Friction in the User Interface of Digital Games

While deliberately designing friction in game user interfaces may be a fitting approach for challenging players’ assumptions and encouraging reflection, mainstream practices are often dominated by an overarching paradigm of user-friendliness and enjoyment. This study explores how designers can use intentional friction in the user interfaces of digital games as a strategy to create meaningful experiences and encourage reflection in their players. First, we review literature to frame what constitutes interface elements in game design, the user-friendly and enjoyment paradigm, and other perspectives that offer context to the employment of friction as strategy. Afterwards, we explore game instances that use user interface friction when appropriate as a strategy to express a point of view, challenge current systems, or foment critical reflection. The starting point for our observations is Donald Norman’s seven design principles and Jakob Nielsen’s usability heuristics. As a result, we identify six strategies: 1) explore memory shortcomings; 2) faulty feedback; 3) mismatched mental model; 4) impairment of ability; 5) deliberate inefficiency, and 6) oppressive constraints. Although this work is not focused on collecting all friction design approaches indiscriminately, the identified strategies suggest more nuanced techniques than just framing the principles to create a friendly design in reverse.