Naomi Panjaitan

Nice to meet you, I’m Naomi!

I’m a Melbourne-based researcher focusing on User Behavior and Cybersecurity.

Background:

Design Work

Preview of a UX case study including market research, idea generation using SWOT analysis, a user journey map, lo-fi wireframes, and hi-fi mobile prototypes.

Eco Driving Feedback System

An app design that blends UX design and behavioral science to encourage lasting energy-efficient driving habits.

Read Case Study

*Delivered Dec’24 to the client

Project preview of a village website redesign, including user interview profiles, before-and-after site comparisons, a Venn diagram of shared pain points, and accessibility features like translation and text resizing.

Lalumpe Village Website Redesign

Redesigned a static HTML site into a dynamic WordPress platform, improving community info access, SEO, and performance.

Read Case Study

*Delivered Aug’23 to the client

Preview of a skincare brand project showing packaging design, audience research insights, social media launch assets, thank-you cards, and round product tags.

Feel-Good Skincare Branding

Created a vibrant visual identity—including packaging, digital, and social media—for a skincare brand collaboration.

Read Case Study

*Delivered Apr’22 to the client

Preview of an e-commerce MVP project showing agile sprint breakdown, market survey results, branding and marketing materials, user journey, and live product website.

Reboot: E-Commerce MVP

Led a multicultural team to design and develop an MVP e-commerce platform with UX/UI, branding, and WordPress dev.

Read Case Study
Preview of a deceptive pattern research project with survey data, interactive course UI prototyping, usability testing feedback, and screenshots of the final product site.

Deceptive Pattern 101

Developed a mini-course on deceptive design, turning research into practical lessons for spotting and avoiding manipulative UX.

Read Case Study
Try the Course
Preview of a UX case study including market research, idea generation using SWOT analysis, a user journey map, lo-fi wireframes, and hi-fi mobile prototypes.

Eco Driving Feedback System

An app design that blends UX design and behavioral science to encourage lasting energy-efficient driving habits.

Read Case Study

*Delivered Dec’24 to the client

Preview of an e-commerce MVP project showing agile sprint breakdown, market survey results, branding and marketing materials, user journey, and live product website.

Reboot: E-Commerce MVP

Led a multicultural team to design and develop an MVP e-commerce platform with UX/UI, branding, and WordPress dev.

Read Case Study
Preview of a deceptive pattern research project with survey data, interactive course UI prototyping, usability testing feedback, and screenshots of the final product site.

Deceptive Pattern 101

Developed a mini-course on deceptive design, turning research into practical lessons for spotting and avoiding manipulative UX.

Read Case Study
Try the Course
Project preview of a village website redesign, including user interview profiles, before-and-after site comparisons, a Venn diagram of shared pain points, and accessibility features like translation and text resizing.

Lalumpe Village Website Redesign

Redesigned a static HTML site into a dynamic WordPress platform, improving community info access, SEO, and performance.

Read Case Study

*Delivered Aug’23 to the client

Preview of a skincare brand project showing packaging design, audience research insights, social media launch assets, thank-you cards, and round product tags.

Feel-Good Skincare Branding

Created a vibrant visual identity—including packaging, digital, and social media—for a skincare brand collaboration.

Read Case Study

*Delivered Apr’22 to the client

Preview of an e-commerce MVP project showing agile sprint breakdown, market survey results, branding and marketing materials, user journey, and live product website.

Reboot: E-Commerce MVP

Led a multicultural team to design and develop an MVP e-commerce platform with UX/UI, branding, and WordPress dev.

Read Case Study
Project preview of a village website redesign, including user interview profiles, before-and-after site comparisons, a Venn diagram of shared pain points, and accessibility features like translation and text resizing.

Lalumpe Village Website Redesign

Redesigned a static HTML site into a dynamic WordPress platform, improving community info access, SEO, and performance.

Read Case Study

*Delivered Aug’23 to the client

Preview of an e-commerce MVP project showing agile sprint breakdown, market survey results, branding and marketing materials, user journey, and live product website.

Reboot: E-Commerce MVP

Led a multicultural team to design and develop an MVP e-commerce platform with UX/UI, branding, and WordPress dev.

Read Case Study
Preview of an e-commerce MVP project showing agile sprint breakdown, market survey results, branding and marketing materials, user journey, and live product website.

Reboot: E-Commerce MVP

Led a multicultural team to design and develop an MVP e-commerce platform with UX/UI, branding, and WordPress dev.

Read Case Study
Slide-Style Portfolio by Naomi

Master’s Research

Dark patterns (or “deceptive designs”) are manipulative design choices in websites/ apps that steer people into actions they did not intend, such as buying something, sharing personal data, or subscribing to a service (Brignull et al., 2023).

Example 1: Web Pop-Up with Multiple Dark Patterns

This pop-up looks like a simple coupon offer, but it actually uses several deceptive tricks:

  1. Fake urgency → A countdown timer creates pressure, making you feel you’ll miss out if you don’t act fast.

  2. Fake scarcity → “Only 3 coupons left!” adds stress, even if it’s not true.

  3. Confirmshaming → The opt-out button says, “I’m boring and like paying full price”, trying to guilt you into signing up.

  4. Pre-checked consent → A small checkbox (already ticked) means you agree to receive marketing unless you notice and uncheck it.

All these tricks together push users toward signing up and sharing personal data they may not really want to give.

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Everyone can fall for dark patterns, no matter their background, because they exploit universal cognitive biases inherent to human psychology (Rossi et al., 2024).

In our study with 343 Japanese users, we found an “awareness–performance paradox”: even individuals who claim to be aware of dark patterns can still be deceived, as recognising them in real-life situations is often challenging (Panjaitan & Watanabe, 2024).

We also observed low resistance: people often do not take action, even when they realise a website is using dark patterns (Panjaitan & Watanabe, 2025).

The reason may be that people often trade privacy for convenience (Waldman, 2020):

(1) Agreeing to tracking your data → Immediate use of the website

vs.

(2) Managing tracking preferences → Takes more time and effort

We propose a 3R Model Against Dark Patterns, which outlines three key user capacities (Panjaitan & Watanabe, 2025):

1. Recognition

The first step is being able to notice when a design is trying to trick you.

2. Resistance

Even if you recognise a dark pattern, you need to actively resist the pressure to comply. 

  • Read the fine print. Review terms and conditions for “free” trials and subscriptions, focusing on automatic renewals and hidden fees.
  • Look for alternatives. Instead of clicking “Accept All” cookies, find “Manage Settings” or “Customise” options to opt out of unnecessary tracking.
  • Check pre-selected options. Review all checkboxes before making purchases or signing up for services. Companies often use pre-checked boxes to enrol users in newsletters or additional services.
  • Inspect your cart. Before checking out, review the shopping cart to ensure no extra items or services have been added without your knowledge.

3. Resilience

Over time, resilience means building habits and strategies so you don’t fall for dark patterns repeatedly. It’s about protecting yourself long-term.

  • Regularly review subscriptions and cancel ones you didn’t mean to join.
  • Share knowledge, and help friends and family spot and avoid dark patterns.

Dark patterns (also known as “deceptive designs”) are manipulative design choices in websites/ apps that steer people into actions they did not intend, such as buying something, sharing personal data, or subscribing to a service (Brignull et al., 2023).

Example 1: Web Pop-Up with Multiple Dark Patterns

This pop-up looks like a simple coupon offer, but it actually uses several deceptive tricks:

  1. Fake urgency → A countdown timer creates pressure, making you feel you’ll miss out if you don’t act fast.

  2. Fake scarcity → “Only 3 coupons left!” adds stress, even if it’s not true.

  3. Confirmshaming → The opt-out button says, “I’m boring and like paying full price”, trying to guilt you into signing up.

  4. Pre-checked consent → A small checkbox (already ticked) means you agree to receive marketing unless you notice and uncheck it.

All these tricks together push users toward signing up and sharing personal data they may not really want to give.

Hurry Up! Offer Ends in...

Only 3 coupons left!
Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to receive exclusive offers.
Your Email

SIGN UP for free coupon

I'm boring and like paying full price

Everyone can fall for dark patterns, no matter their background, because they exploit universal cognitive biases inherent to human psychology (Rossi et al., 2024).

In our study with 343 Japanese users, we found an “awareness–performance paradox”: even individuals who claim to be aware of dark patterns can still be deceived, as recognising them in real-life situations is often challenging (Panjaitan & Watanabe, 2024).

We also observed low resistance: people often do not take action, even when they realise a website is using dark patterns (Panjaitan & Watanabe, 2025).

The reason may be that people often trade privacy for convenience (Waldman, 2020):

(1) Agreeing to tracking your data → Immediate use of the website

vs.

(2) Managing tracking preferences → Takes more time and effort

We propose a 3R Model Against Dark Patterns, which outlines three key user capacities (Panjaitan & Watanabe, 2025):

1. Recognition

The first step is being able to notice when a design is trying to trick you.

2. Resistance

Even if you recognise a dark pattern, you need to actively resist the pressure to comply. 

  • Read the fine print. Review terms and conditions for “free” trials and subscriptions, focusing on automatic renewals and hidden fees.
  • Look for alternatives. Instead of clicking “Accept All” cookies, find “Manage Settings” or “Customise” options to opt out of unnecessary tracking.
  • Check pre-selected options. Review all checkboxes before making purchases or signing up for services. Companies often use pre-checked boxes to enrol users in newsletters or additional services.
  • Inspect your cart. Before checking out, review the shopping cart to ensure no extra items or services have been added without your knowledge.

3. Resilience

Over time, resilience means building habits and strategies so you don’t fall for dark patterns repeatedly. It’s about protecting yourself long-term.

  • Regularly review subscriptions and cancel ones you didn’t mean to join.
  • Share knowledge, and help friends and family spot and avoid dark patterns.

What’s Next?

Looking for someone who can blend design, research, and strategy to solve complex problems? I’d love to help.

What’s Next?

Looking for someone who can blend design, research, and strategy to solve complex problems? I’d love to help.