FairUX
FairUX is a pattern library designed to promote the use of Fair Patterns in design practice and within organisations.
A Bachelor’s project by: Shekinah Gitumbu
7th semester, 2026
Supervisors: Prof. Andrea Krajewski, Prof. Tsunemitsu Tanaka
Definition of Terms
To begin with, we will clarify key terms that are relevant to understanding the project.
Dark patterns: are manipulative design patterns in user interfaces that deliberately exploit human cognition to persuade users to take specific actions that serve corporate interests.
Fair Patterns: are ethical design patterns that prioritise transparency and empower users to make independent, informed decisions. They represent a deliberate countermeasure to dark patterns.
The issue
It is hard to imagine our everyday lives without digital products. From online shops and social media to government portals – many things are now done online.
Yet many of our digital platforms are not designed in a neutral or fair way. Whether it’s hidden costs, hard-to-find cancellation options or manipulative cookie banners – dark patterns undermine transparency, autonomy and digital self-determination.
Although dark patterns are increasingly being discussed in research and politics, the practical implementation of fair alternatives often remains unclear. Designers face the challenge of reconciling commercial objectives with ethical responsibility, yet they rarely have concrete tools to support them in the design process.
The solution: the Fair Pattern Library
FairUX is a Fair Pattern Library designed to make fair design patterns easily accessible, understandable and ready to use. It brings together UX patterns that specifically address problems caused by dark patterns and also provides ready-to-use Figma templates. All content is professionally reviewed and curated to ensure quality and consistency.
Designers can submit their own Fair Patterns and thus contribute to the library’s further development. Companies that consistently apply Fair Patterns and design their applications to be fair and free from manipulation also have the opportunity to receive a FairUX seal – a visible sign of trust for transparent and fair design.
The Fair Patterns
As part of the FairUX concept, six different Fair Patterns have been developed. These patterns represent practical alternatives to manipulative design strategies and aim to promote transparency, voluntary participation and informed decision-making processes in digital interfaces. Each Fair Pattern addresses a specific issue typically caused by dark patterns and translates theoretical insights into concrete design solutions.
The FairUX seal
The FairUX seal is a visible symbol of quality and trust for websites and apps that are demonstrably based on ethical and fair design. It recognises companies that consistently integrate Fair Patterns into their user interfaces and consciously avoid manipulative design patterns. The seal demonstrates transparency and fairness to the outside world and provides guidance for users.
At the same time, the seal creates an incentive for companies not only to advocate ethical design in theory, but to put it into practice. It links responsibility with brand value and positions fairness as a competitive advantage in the digital space.
