Cognitive Bias and the Design Process

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Cognitive Bias and the Design Process J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M A U G 2 0 2 2

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C H E C K E R S H A D O W I L L U S I O N

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C H E C K E R S H A D O W I L L U S I O N

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M S E A T H E A D I L L U S I O N

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Unlike visual illusions, cognitive illusions can be much harder to see.

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O G N I T I V E B I A S C O D E X B Y : J O H N M A N O O G I A N I I I J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M System 2 System 1

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M System 2 System 1

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M System 2 System 1

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M It’s equally important that we understand the impact bias has on us, our teams and ultimately the products & services that we build.

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M “The best we can do is a compromise: learn to recognize situations in which mistakes are likely and try harder to avoid significant mistakes when the stakes are high.” D A N I E L K A H N E M A N

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Key Biases SURVIVORSHIP BIAS CONFIRMATION BIAS FRAMING EFFECT AVAILABILITY HEURISTIC FALSE-CONSENSUS EFFECT

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Survivorship Bias J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M B I A S 1

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We have a tendency to concentrate on the people or things that made it past a selection process and overlook those that do not, typically because of their lack of visibility. S U R V I V O R S H I P B I A S J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M S U R V I V O R S H I P B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M S U R V I V O R S H I P B I A S Ummm…what about the planes that didn’t make it back? A B R A H A M W A L D

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M What does this have to do with design?

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M S U R V I V O R S H I P B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Consider what you don’t see J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M S U R V I V O R S H I P B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Centralize edge cases J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M S U R V I V O R S H I P B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Confirmation Bias J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S B I A S 2

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We tend to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms or supports our prior beliefs or values. J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M What does this have to do with design? C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Research rather than validate J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Triangulate research methods J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Red team, blue team J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M C O N F I R M A T I O N B I A S

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Framing Effect J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M B I A S 3

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We tend to make decisions based on whether the options are presented with positive or negative connotations; e.g. as a loss or as a gain. J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T FRAMING CHOICE DESCRIPTION P O S I T I V E T R E A T M E N T A S A V E S 2 0 0 L I V E S O U T O F 6 0 0 N E G A T I V E T R E A T M E N T B 4 0 0 P E O P L E W I L L D I E O U T O F 6 0 0

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M FRAMING CHOICE DESCRIPTION P O S I T I V E T R E A T M E N T A S A V E S 2 0 0 L I V E S O U T O F 6 0 0 N E G A T I V E T R E A T M E N T B 4 0 0 P E O P L E W I L L D I E O U T O F 6 0 0 J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T 7 2 %

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M What does this have to do with design?

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M N I E L S E N N O R M A N G R O U P 4 out of 20 users could not fi nd the search function on the website 16 out of 20 users found the search function on the website N E G A T I V E P O S I T I V E

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M N I E L S E N N O R M A N G R O U P 3 1 %

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Avoid leading questions J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Gather more context J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Switch up your point-of-view J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F R A M I N G E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Availability Heuristic J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M B I A S 4

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We tend to rely on immediate examples that come to a given person’s mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M A V A I L A B I L I T Y H E U R I S T I C

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M What does this have to do with design?

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M A V A I L A B I L I T Y H E U R I S T I C

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Why can’t we just design it like [insert company name] does it? A V A I L A B I L I T Y H E U R I S T I C

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Use reason over recall J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M A V A I L A B I L I T Y H E U R I S T I C

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Measure what matters J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M A V A I L A B I L I T Y H E U R I S T I C

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M False-Consensus Effect J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M B I A S 5

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We have a tendency to assume that our personal qualities, characteristics, beliefs, and actions are relatively widespread through the general population. J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F A L S E - C O N S E N S U S E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M What does this have to do with design? F A L S E - C O N S E N S U S E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F A L S E - C O N S E N S U S E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Acknowledge that you are not the user J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F A L S E - C O N S E N S U S E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Always test with real users J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F A L S E - C O N S E N S U S E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Identify your assumptions J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M F A L S E - C O N S E N S U S E F F E C T

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M Key Biases SURVIVORSHIP BIAS CONFIRMATION BIAS FRAMING EFFECT AVAILABILITY HEURISTIC FALSE-CONSENSUS EFFECT

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J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M It’s impossible to eliminate biases, but we can seek to understand them and identify how they might impact our design decisions.

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Thank you J O N Y A B L O N S K I | J O N Y A B L O N S K I . C O M 📙 D E S I G N I N G F O R C O G N I T I V E B I A S 📙 T H I N K I N G , F A S T A N D S L O W 👩💻 B I A S E D B Y D E S I G N . C O M R E C O M M E N D E D R E S O U R C E S