← Back to the library
Decision MakingMember ingredient

Default Effect

A preselected option or existing state can be chosen more often because it remains in place unless someone actively changes it.

Member ingredient

The evidence and practical applications are protected.

This research, its takeaways and practical applications are reserved for paid members. Sign in if your account has access, or keep exploring the free library.

Sign in to continue

Seen in real products

How teams put it to work.

Examples identified in our interface teardowns, linked back to the full product journey.

Uber: Confirm user details
UberConfirm user details

Name and phone values are pre-filled while remaining editable. These values function as defaults if Next saves them unchanged; the screenshot does not show acceptance, correction or error rates.

View Uber account setup: data use, marketing and advertising choices
Spotify: Search active (recent)
SpotifySearch active (recent)

Activating search places focus in the field and opens the keyboard. This is the default input state for text entry; the screenshot does not show whether it improves task speed or excludes another preferred input method.

View Spotify search: browsing, history, mixed results and format filters
Headspace: Choose notification types
HeadspaceChoose notification types

Both notification categories start off, Save is unavailable until a choice changes and Not now remains visible. These are observable defaults that preserve non-subscription; the screenshot does not show whether people keep or later change them.

View Headspace onboarding: account creation, wellbeing claims, trial offers and a first exercise
Headspace: Trial terms after the exercise
HeadspaceTrial terms after the exercise

The later trial screen again preselects Annual and pairs immediate free access with a future £49.99 charge. The visible default is supportable; the screenshot does not establish temporal discounting and does not reconcile the earlier 30% offer.

View Headspace onboarding: account creation, wellbeing claims, trial offers and a first exercise
YouTube: Search filters
YouTubeSearch filters

Relevance, All and Any time are visibly preselected and will define the result set unless changed. These are interface defaults; the screenshot does not show whether people keep them or whether they produce the best result for a task.

View YouTube search: history, suggestions, sponsored results and filters
Headspace: Trial terms and plan choice
HeadspaceTrial terms and plan choice

Annual is visibly selected before the person acts, while Monthly is available but its price is hidden. This is an actual interface default; the screenshot does not show acceptance, and informed choice requires both plans and renewal terms to be equally comparable.

View Headspace onboarding: account creation, wellbeing claims, trial offers and a first exercise