Examining the design of choice screens in the context of the Digital Markets Act
UX Innovation
The hardest part was designing an interface that treats all search engines fairly, without unintentionally favoring one over another.
We conducted a pan-European UX study to validate design patterns for android choice screens
The goal was to provide behavioral insights to regulators and tech platforms to ensure that the design of choice screens empowers users to make informed, unbiased decisions.
How can we design an interface that gives every browser a fair chance - not just the gatekeepers?
The Digital Markets Act mandates that dominant platforms must offer users a choice when selecting their default search engine or browser. But how that choice is presented makes all the difference.
Choice screen design often privileges the gatekeeper’s own browser
No standardized UX principles for implementing the legal mandate
Collaborative research and agile prototyping across 5 EU countries
What “fair” really looks like in practice, we designed a multi-phase research and prototyping process. We tested behavior, bias, and clarity across multiple EU countries, translating insights into practical design guidelines that reflect both user needs and policy goals.
Collaborative workshops
Explored 80+ design variations focusing on visual hierarchy, copy clarity, and neutral placement—ensuring no browser was inadvertently favored.
Iterative prototyping
Explored 80+ design variations focusing on visual hierarchy, copy clarity, and neutral placement—ensuring no browser was inadvertently favored.
User interviews & Testing:
Conducted 35 in-depth interviews across 5 EU member states to capture diverse perspectives on choice screen usability and fairness.
A UX framework that supports regulatory goals and empowers real consumer choice
Behavior-informed design guidelines
A playbook for building interfaces that promote equality across browser options backed by real user data.
Improved clarity and neutrality
Designs that reduce cognitive load, eliminate manipulative patterns, and make choices easier to understand.
Trusted by regulators and consumer advocates
BEUC used our work to inform key policy discussions and push for ethical UX standards in EU-wide implementation.
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