Cognitive biases in UX design — in simple terms

Hello everyone! This is my first topic in English here, and I hope for your understanding and support.
Almost everything written below is my personal interpretation and thoughts on the topic. I would appreciate any constructive feedback.

I. Introduction

Cognitive bias (also known as “cognitive illusion” or “cognitive distortion”) refers to errors in thinking that can lead to incorrect perception and decision-making. They are an inherent part of our psychology and can affect our behavior, even if we are not aware of them.

In UX design, cognitive biases can influence how users interact with a product, the decisions they make, and the emotions the product elicits. Therefore, understanding cognitive biases is a key aspect of choosing and implementing an interactive approach both with users in general and with their personal perceptions.

The goal of this article is to explain in simple terms what cognitive biases are, how they affect users’ perceptions, and how to work with them. We will consider the most common types of biases and examples of their use in UX design.

II. Cognitive biases

There are 5 most common types of cognitive biases in UX design. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.

1. Loss aversion — people pay more attention to losses than to gains. In other words, we tend to value what we can lose more than what we can gain. In UX design, this effect can be used to make users quickly make decisions.
   For example, a notification about limited stock or a discount that only lasts for a limited time creates an illusion of loss and can force users to make quick purchase decisions.
2. Confirmation bias — we are more likely to accept information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them. From a UX perspective, this effect can lead to users not noticing certain interface elements that do not confirm their expectations.
   For example, if a user expects the “Add to cart” button to be green, they may overlook it if it’s red.
3. Perception effect — our perception of information depends on the context and other factors.
   For example, the use of bright colors and unusual shapes in an assumed calm design can evoke feelings of surprise and interest in users.
4. Availability bias — we tend to pay more attention to information that is easily accessible. This bias can be used to make important information more noticeable and accessible.
   For example, placing information about discounts on the homepage of a website or using pop-up windows to remind users to complete their purchases.
5. Loyalty effect — we are more likely to continue using a product or service, even if it’s not the best, simply because we are used to it and feel a connection.
   This can lead to users continuing to use a product that is not convenient or effective because they are already accustomed to it.
   To avoid this, UX designers should continuously work on improving the product and creating new features to attract and retain users. In general, this speaks to the importance of product scalability, but we must understand that this greatly depends on the circumstances.

III. How do cognitive biases affect user experience?

A UX designer must know how to manipulate user behavior. Attention becomes the main “currency,” which we use to achieve various goals. We will examine attention in more detail in other articles, but for now, I want to give some examples of using knowledge of cognitive biases in interface design.

Avoid information overload

Choice distortion and availability bias can lead to users spending too much time making decisions. To avoid this, UX designers should make the user interface as simple and understandable as possible.

For example, it is necessary to use the minimum number of elements to build the interface — there is no need to try to “squeeze” everything into a few visible pixels. Also, legible fonts and sufficiently large sizes of buttons, and other accent elements of the interface should be used. In general, one should not forget about reading patterns that do a good job of “hinting” us where to place accents.

Use familiar interface elements

Expectation distortion can lead to users skipping interface elements that do not meet their expectations. Designers should use familiar interface elements that users already know and expect to see.

For example, the “Add to cart” button should be (conditionally) green, as this is the standard color for buttons related to purchasing actions. If the button is red, users may not notice or skip it.

Use helpful and noticeable hints

Accessibility distortion can cause users to forget important information or not notice it.
To avoid these effects, it is necessary to use helpful and noticeable hints. Don’t forget about situationality, as the “usefulness” of these hints will be directly related to the context.

For example, pop-ups or notifications can be used to remind users of important information, such as discounts or the need to complete a purchase.

Ensure ease of use of the product

The “endowment effect” may be present here — this distortion arises when people attach too much value to things simply because they belong to or are used by them. In other words, it all depends on users’ habits.
To ensure ease of use of the product, make sure that the interface elements are easily discoverable and intuitive for users. This may include the use of understandable icons, simple navigation, a clear page structure, and the placement of interface elements in logical places.

For example, the “Add to Cart” button should be located next to the product, not in an unexpected place such as the bottom of the page.

Give users control over the process

Distortion of control can make users feel uncertain and distrustful of the product. To avoid this, it is important to give users control over the process.

For example, interactive interface elements such as buttons, switches, and sliders can be used to allow users to control the product and its settings.

Avoid overly complex tasks

Distortion of expectations can make it difficult for users to understand and perform tasks. To avoid this, we should create tasks that are easy to understand and complete.

For instance, simple instructions and prompts can be used to help users quickly understand what they need to do, which is also referred to as providing a simple onboarding experience within the interface.

Use user testing

Distortion of attachment can lead designers to blindly follow their own preferences and beliefs without considering the needs of users. To avoid this, it is necessary to test products with users and take their feedback into account.
It’s important to note that many “general” usability rules have already been developed with the aim of preventing cognitive distortions in users.

For example, the principles of “simplicity and ease of use” of the product and the “clarity and understandability” of the interface help reduce the overall impact of distortions on the user’s interaction process.

Therefore, these rules can be one way to combat distortions if we remember to apply them while working ;)

IV. Conclusion

Cognitive biases can have a significant impact on the user experience and lead to negative outcomes. As UX designers, we should consider these biases when developing user interfaces and create products that are based on real data. Working on cognitive biases should become an essential part of the design process to ensure a better interaction experience, as user needs are often distorted by cognitive “quirks”.