01 Consent
Make the kind choice obvious.
People should be able to understand what they are agreeing to before they agree to it.
Read the pattern An open field guide · v0.1
Design that leaves people better off.
Light Patterns is a growing collection of generous interface ideas—and the sites putting them into practice.
for the people
on the other side
on the other side
Make room
for a yes.
for a yes.
01 — 06 Good design is not neutral about power.
It gives some of it back. Scroll to explore ↓
It gives some of it back. Scroll to explore ↓
The opposite of dark patterns
When an interface is working with you, it feels like a little more room to think.
Not every good decision needs a new feature. Sometimes it is a clear label, a fair default, an easy exit, or one less interruption. We are collecting those decisions so they are easier to see, name, and repeat.
The library
Positive patterns
Small choices with a
human-sized impact.
02 Clarity
Let the real price arrive early.
A useful price is the one someone can actually compare, budget for, and say yes to.
Read the pattern 03 Access
Design for the edges first.
The clearest, most resilient experience is usually the one that works for more bodies, devices, and contexts.
Read the pattern 04 Agency
Leave the door as open as you found it.
People are allowed to change their minds. An exit should not feel like a punishment.
Read the pattern 05 Attention
Earn attention. Don’t harvest it.
A notification is an interruption with a cost. Spend it carefully.
Read the pattern 06 Trust
Show enough of the machinery.
People can make better decisions when the system explains itself at the moment it matters.
Read the patternNo patterns match that search yet. Suggest one?
Good experiences don’t just help people get somewhere. They make sure people know where they are, why they’re going, and that they can turn around.
Out in the wild
Sites worth noticing
UK Public service
GOV.UK
A task-first public service that turns complex government processes into clear, navigable steps.
Notice this → Plain language is treated as infrastructure.
S Communication
Signal
Private communication with a small, direct product story: no ads, no trackers, no attention marketplace.
Notice this → The business model is part of the interface.
PW Repair & reuse
Patagonia Worn Wear
A commerce experience that makes repair, reuse, and keeping what you own part of the journey.
Notice this → The next sale is not always the next step.
A Creative network
Are.na
A slower place to collect and connect ideas, with a visual language that leaves room for thought.
Notice this → A feed can make space instead of filling it.
Keep the light on
Know a site that
gets it right?
This collection is editorial, open, and still small enough to surprise us. Send a pattern, a site, or a moment that made the web feel more humane.
Suggest a siteNo pitch deck required.
Just a good example.
Just a good example.