After talking a lot about biases in general, I want to put focus on biases, that affect the design discipline in particular. I wanted to find out, which biases are very common amongst designers and how they can be spotted.
Biases can creep into UX design in subtle ways, shaping how designers create and evaluate their work. These mental shortcuts or preconceived notions can distort user research, design decisions, and testing outcomes.
Common UX Biases
- Confirmation Bias:
Designers often seek out data or feedback that aligns with their assumptions or expectations. For example, if you’re convinced users will love a feature, you might unconsciously focus on positive comments while ignoring criticism. This skews the final product toward the designer’s preferences rather than the users’ needs (cf. UX Team). - False-Consensus Effect:
This bias happens when designers assume users think like they do. For instance, just because a designer finds an interface intuitive doesn’t mean the average user will feel the same way. This misalignment often results in designs that alienate diverse user groups (cf. Toptal). - Recency Bias:
This occurs when designers give undue weight to the most recent feedback or user data they’ve encountered. While recent input can be important, over-relying on it can overlook broader patterns or trends that are crucial to creating balanced designs (cf. PALO IT). - Anchoring Bias:
Designers may fixate on the first piece of information they receive, such as initial user feedback or early test results, and let it heavily influence future decisions. This can lead to disregarding new, potentially more accurate insights that arise later in the process (cf. UX Team). - Social Desirability Bias:
During user research, participants might provide answers they think the researcher wants to hear instead of their genuine thoughts. This can lead to misleading data and decisions that don’t address real user needs (cf. Toptal). - Sunk Cost Fallacy:
Designers sometimes stick with a feature or concept they’ve invested a lot of time and effort into, even when it’s clear it’s not working. This bias prevents teams from pivoting to better alternatives (cf. PALO IT).
Spotting Biases
To identify biases in your work, start by reviewing your assumptions. Are you basing design decisions on data or personal opinions? Regularly involve diverse perspectives in your design process to uncover blind spots. For example, conducting usability tests with a variety of users can highlight mismatches between the design and user expectations (UX Team).
Another tip is to document your decision-making process. Writing down why you chose a certain layout or feature can make biases easier to spot. If your reasoning is based on personal preference or limited data, you’ll know to re-evaluate that choice (Toptal).
Biases in UX design can hinder the creation of user-friendly and inclusive products. By recognizing common biases like confirmation bias, false-consensus effect, recency bias, and others, you can take proactive steps to create designs that truly meet users’ needs. Regularly challenging assumptions and involving diverse perspectives ensures a more balanced and effective design process.
