People First Design

Respectful, clear, human

Build websites and apps for people, not clicks or tricks.

People First Design is a community-driven guideline for creating experiences that feel honest, clear, and pleasant to use. It is not legal advice, just practical principles you can follow today.

View on GitHub See the principles
No dark patterns Top tier privacy Clarity over cleverness Respect attention

What this is

  • A set of human-friendly design principles
  • Practical guidelines you can actually follow
  • Examples of good and bad patterns
  • A lightweight verification badge

What this is not

  • Not anti-money or anti-business
  • Not anti-ads (just anti-bad ads)
  • Not a legal standard
  • Not a way to shame other developers

Core principles

Five rules that keep people first.

Use these as guardrails for every feature and decision.

1) UX before metrics

User experience is the primary constraint. Do not trade trust or clarity for short-term gains. If finances force tradeoffs, be transparent and revert when stable.

  • Main tasks stay short and predictable.
  • Pricing and limits are clear upfront.
  • Metrics include user success, not just clicks.

2) No dark patterns

No manipulative interfaces that pressure or mislead. If a user would feel annoyed after realizing what happened, do not ship it.

  • No guilt buttons or fake urgency.
  • Opt-outs and cancellation are easy and clear.
  • Ads never mimic UI or system messages.

3) Top tier privacy

Collect the minimum data required. Explain what you collect, why, how long you keep it, and who sees it in plain language.

  • Data minimization by default.
  • Export and deletion are available on request.
  • Third-party sharing is disclosed.

4) Respect attention

Interrupt only when necessary. Avoid autoplay, popups on load, and endless nags. Offer quiet controls and dismiss options.

  • Use inline banners over blocking modals.
  • Notifications are opt-in or minimal.
  • "Not now" or "Remind me later" is available.

5) Clarity over cleverness

Prefer straightforward labels and familiar patterns. Users should understand the screen in seconds, not minutes.

  • Primary actions are obvious and consistent.
  • Error messages are actionable.
  • Buttons look like buttons; links look like links.

Policies & rules

Ads, privacy, and UX guardrails.

Ads policy

Ads are allowed when they are honest and unobtrusive.

  • Clearly labeled as ads and never blocking content.
  • No tracking beyond what is necessary.
  • No fake download buttons or full-screen popups.

Good: a sponsor section or one ad on a page. Bad: cursor-following ads or forced ad views.

Data & privacy

Say what you collect, why you collect it, and who you share it with. Allow deletion of data you control.

  • Plain-language privacy explanations.
  • Deletion, export, and consent controls where applicable.
  • Transparency about third-party data sources.

UX & interface rules

No misleading buttons, forced sign-ups for basic content, or resetting countdown timers. If users ask "What just happened?", rethink.

  • Actions are honest and reversible when possible.
  • Destructive actions ask for confirmation, not punishment.
  • Cancellation is as easy as sign-up.

Badge system

Show your commitment with the People First Design badge.

Two states: Unverified (self-claimed) and Verified (issued + listed).

Unverified

Self-claimed, accountability by transparency.

  • Link back to this repository.
  • Publicly list which principles you follow (and any you do not) with evidence.
  • Make it easy for people to review your evidence.

Use labels like "People First Design (Unverified)" or "People First Design - self-attested."

Verified

Issued with an ID and listed in verified.md.

  • Apply with evidence and receive a badge ID.
  • Display the badge ID near the badge and make it copyable.
  • Link back here and to your evidence page.

Example: People First Design - Verified | Badge ID: PFD-0000 | Verify via verified.md.

Correct usage

  • Do not use the Verified badge without being listed.
  • Do not hide or omit the badge ID for Verified claims.
  • Keep evidence pages current and honest.

The badge is not a legal certification or security audit. Misuse can be reported and may lead to revocation.

Verification flow

How to apply and how anyone can verify.

Applying for verification

  1. Follow all principles (or clearly state any you do not).
  2. Prepare evidence: UI screenshots, consent flows, privacy settings, deletion/export paths, ad labeling.
  3. Decide where the badge and badge ID will live on your site/app.
  4. Link back to this repository and your evidence page.
  5. Submit the application using the link in the README.

Verification can be updated or revoked if claims become misleading or outdated.

Verifying a badge ID

  1. Copy the badge ID shown with the badge (example: PFD-0123).
  2. Open verified.md in this repo.
  3. Search for the ID and confirm the name, creator, and URL match.
  4. If details do not match or no ID is shown, treat it as Unverified.

Where to check

verified.md

Example format

People First Design - Verified
Badge ID: PFD-0000
Verify via verified.md

Reporting

Flag misuse or violations.

Reports help keep the badge meaningful and the principles trustworthy.

What to report

  • False Verified claims or missing badge IDs.
  • Misleading or outdated evidence pages.
  • Dark patterns, privacy issues, abusive UX.
  • Security or data handling concerns.

How to report

  1. Open an issue in this repository with URLs, screenshots, the claimed badge state/ID, and a brief description.
  2. If sensitive, mark it clearly or email the maintainers with the same details.
  3. Include contact info if you want follow-up (optional).

Outcomes may include requests for clarification, updates to listings, or revocation for Verified badges.

Resources

Use People First Design in your project.

Using People First Design

  • Follow all principles or state which ones you follow.
  • Explain how you follow them with evidence.
  • Add a link back to this repository.

The system is trust-based. You do not need verification to adopt the principles.

Project overview

Read the README for the concise pitch, definitions, and how to contribute.

Open README