User First is a software development manifesto established in 2021. Its goal is to make software genuinely enjoyable to use, while respecting the user's ethical boundaries. This approach can be applied to all types of software — including websites, desktop applications, mobile apps, and videogames.
Software that follows this manifesto should embody the following properties:
Software should be as enjoyable to use as possible, and should actively avoid irritating the user in any way. Examples of common sources of frustration include (but are not limited to):
Software should never perform actions without the user's knowledge. Every operation the software carries out should be clearly communicated to the user, either directly or through transparent design.
Examples of non-transparent behavior include:
The software should never include advertising of any kind.
The software should neither track nor record the user's activity. Users should feel confident that their usage, location, and any information related to their activity will not be monitored, stored, or transmitted in any way.
The software should never attempt to promote itself to get the user's attention. This includes emails, notifications, or any other form of contact. The only acceptable exception is informing the user about the availability of a new version.
The software should never post on social networks without the user's explicit consent — and this option must be turned off by default.
Users should never be offered rewards or incentives in exchange for posting positive messages about the software online.
The software must not access the user's contacts or social network connections to send invites, messages, or any form of self-promotion.
These additional properties apply specifically to videogames.
The full experience must be available once the game has been acquired by the user. The software should not include any in-game purchases. Locked levels, extra features, or power-ups are acceptable only if they can be unlocked through gameplay or game progression.
All game updates should be free.
The software should not include any in-app purchases or adopt free-to-play monetization models. These include, but are not limited to:
Features that affect gameplay should never be locked behind a paywall. The player’s experience and progression should be based entirely on skill, exploration, and play — not spending.
The purpose of the software should be to support the player's development, enjoyment, or learning. It should never include features designed solely to retain players or maximize time spent in the game.
Examples of forced retention features include:
This manifesto was originally developed by Lucas Dima in December 2021.
Some of its principles are based on an earlier draft titled Game Software Principles, written in 2018.
If you have suggestions, ideas, or feedback, feel free to write to us at hello [at] userfirstsoftware.org — your words are welcome.
If you'd like to use or reference these ideas in your own project, check out the GitHub repository.