Do our biases affect the design of the solution?

False prejudices

False prejudice occurs when we think that other people think and behave the same way as we do. Psychological researchers call this phenomenon the "false consensus effect." For example, product designers often use the product they are designing, which is why they begin to say: "I know how to do it better, because I am a user."

"You are not the users," reiterates Jakob Nielsen, a leading web usability consultant.

The problem also lies in the fact that, based on our prejudices, we create a design that will be accessible and understandable only to the category of people to which we belong. The rest of the users may have difficulties that we don't even know about. It is important for the designer to remember that everyone has their own special background, unique experience and distinct identity. The product audience is divided not only by global markers such as age and gender. People of different professions and nationalities also have specific needs specific to their group.

Neglect of the user will certainly have negative consequences. We can confirm this with the textbook case of the Ford Edsel car. This 1958 model, which received its name in honor of Henry Ford's son, was created as if for an experiment - without taking into account market realities and user needs. The Ford Edsel was unreliable from an engineering point of view, had clumsy steering and a strange design.

When developing this car, the designers listened only to members of their own design team, which ultimately resulted in one of the most high-profile failures in automotive history. Buyers were shocked and disappointed, and the company's sales at the time collapsed.

We overcome false prejudices

To learn how to recognize biases, take the opportunity to read literature about common cognitive distortions. Make a list of your biases and add to it every time you catch yourself being biased.

When making important design decisions, ask yourself from time to time: "Do I know for sure that my statement "X" is true?". In this way, you will check whether there is anything behind the decision other than your confidence. If the evidence base is not enough, conduct in-depth research on the product's users.

Do research with different user groups

By interacting with users who have different experiences and backgrounds, you will eventually gain a better understanding of other points of view and be more confident in recognizing your own biases. When working on the design, apply the user persona thinking model to better separate your desires from the actual needs of the user.

Optimistic biases

Optimistic bias (wishful thinking) is a tendency to downplay the negative impact of certain factors on the final result and to underestimate the risks of one's own actions. Optimistic biases are hardwired into our minds because they make life easier by reducing stress and anxiety.

How exactly do optimistic biases affect the design process? For example, a designer can ignore the results of an in-depth interview, not take into account a wide variety of users, not follow accessibility rules, not conduct usability tests, etc.

We avoid optimistic prejudices

The best way to avoid over-optimism is to go in from the opposite side and find potential risks as early as possible. By identifying them in time, you will be able to minimize the detrimental effect on the final product.

My design team often performs a collective Pre-Mortem exercise — we imagine that the project has already gone bad and try to work together to figure out what could have gone wrong. This is how the Pre-Mortem technique works:

• Imagine a hypothetical project failure;
• Give each team member 5-10 minutes to identify possible causes of failure;
• Discuss your assumptions and determine the appropriate level of risk for each likely cause;
• Prioritize high-risk items;
• Develop a plan to minimize or prevent risks.