Bringing Pyschology to Product - Part 1
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The document discusses various cognitive biases that can impact user experience on the web, such as social proof, peak-end rule, and loss aversion. It provides practical applications for designers to improve user engagement and decision-making through effective design strategies, like leveraging aesthetic appeal and feedback loops. Understanding these psychological principles can enhance product usability and user satisfaction.
Bringing Pyschology to Product - Part 1
- 2. Cognitive Bias A cognitive bias refers to a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, whereby inferences about other people and situations may be drawn in an illogical fashion.
- 3. We tend to follow the patterns of similar others in new or unfamiliar situations. SOCIAL PROOF
- 4. How might this apply to the Web? To put people at ease or guide a decision find creative ways to show social activity. This can be in the form of stats (favorited by, number of views, comments), good positive reviews/testimonials, or by providing visibility into the actions or outcomes of other users’ behaviors. SOCIAL PROOF
- 5. We judge our past experiences almost entirely by their peaks (pleasant and unpleasant) and how they ended. PEAK-END RULE
- 6. How might this apply to the Web? What are the peaks and endings in the customer experience you’ve designed? Peaks may be the core value you provide or a small surprise thrown into the user journey. Endpoints can be obvious (order fulfillment from an e-commerce site) or more subtle (such as a friendly or funny registration confirmation page). Identify and improve these. PEAK-END RULE
- 7. It's easier to recognize things we have previously experienced than it is to recall them from memory. RECOGNITION OVER RECALL
- 8. How might this apply to the Web? Multiple-choice or one-click options are easy ways for people to interact with a site. If you’re considering asking people to list things from memory, try complementing (or replacing) empty form fields with defined, random or intelligent choices that people can click on or rate. RECOGNITION OVER RECALL
- 9. GIFTING We feel the need to reciprocate when we receive a gift.
- 10. How might this apply to the Web? What can you give away? It could be a free account or an upgrade. Maybe a free report—or example, personal informatics are interesting. Perhaps a gift card. Make it something unexpected. And if other similar services are giving away the same thing, it’s not a gift—it’s expected. GIFTING
- 11. ANCHORING & ADJUSTMENT When making decisions, we rely too heavily—or anchor—on one trait or piece of information.
- 12. How might this apply to the Web? In unfamiliar situations, we tend to assess things based on a single known anchor from which we make relative adjustments. These anchors are often a numeric value, such as an original price or a single attribute such as megapixels on a digital camera. Oddly enough, even the suggestion of a completely irrelevant number can influence subsequent numeric predictions. What anchors are you intentionally—or unintentionally—providing people? ANCHORING & ADJUSTMENT
- 13. AESTHETIC USABILITY EFFECT Aesthetically pleasing designs are often perceived as being easier to use.
- 14. How might this apply to the Web? Attractive things work better—or at least we perceive them as being easier to use. Have you evaluated how attractive your application (or site) is to your users? We are more forgiving of attractive designs and assume they are (or should be) easier to use. The curious part? A well-designed site is often a more usable site. AESTHETIC USABILITY EFFECT
- 15. We have much better recall of the first and last items within a list. SERIAL POSITION EFFECT
- 16. How might this apply to the Web? How do you sequence list items? If recall of specific items is critical, list the most important items at the beginning and end of a list. This could be applied to a list of checkbox items, a list of product features, the company bios—any page with a long list of items. SERIAL POSITION EFFECT
- 17. We desire to act in a manner consistent with our stated beliefs and prior actions. COMMITMENT & CONSISTENCY
- 18. COMMITMENT & CONSISTENCY How might this apply to the Web? People have a general desire to be (and appear) consistent in their behavior. Ask someone to state a position, declare their intentions, or show a small gesture of support. Why? Generally, people will act in a manner consistent with these small requests, even if later asked to make a much larger (but consistent) commitment. Be careful: done poorly, these will be viewed as compliance tactics.
- 19. We value things when they cost more. VALUE ATTRIBUTION
- 20. How might this apply to the Web? “Cost” may be monetary or an investment of time. Is your service priced accordingly? What items can you withhold until they are earned—perhaps a new feature or privileges? On pricing pages, offer a range of packages and highlight—or at least offer—a more expensive one than you think most customers would choose. VALUE ATTRIBUTION
- 21. We hate losing or letting go of what we have (even if more could be had). LOSS AVERSION
- 22. How might this apply to the Web? What is lost by leaving your site? If sign-up is your goal, let people play with your service (creating personal content they might want to save) before you ask for personal information. For ongoing accounts, offer things of perceived value that are lost by closing an account. Also, can you frame your value proposition to highlight what people already lose or miss out on by not using your service? LOSS AVERSION
- 23. CONTRAST When scanning new visual information, we are unconsciously drawn to things that stand out against their surroundings.
- 24. How might this apply to the Web? What do you want people to focus on? Use colors, size, shapes and other design elements to create visual contrast. Subtle movements on an otherwise static page catch people’s attention. Contrast can also be felt over time (an irregular e-mail notification vs. a daily notification) or through unusual and unexpected content. CONTRAST
- 25. FRAMING The way in which issues and data are stated can alter our judgement and affect decisions.
- 26. How might this apply to the Web? How are you presenting choices in your system? What are the available options? An implied story makes the most desirable choice more obvious, especially for new or difficult concepts. For example, framing donations as costing “less than a cup of coffee a day” encourages people to rationalize a monthly pledge. FRAMING
- 27. FEEDBACK LOOPS We are engaged by situations in which we see our actions modify subsequent results.
- 28. How might this apply to the Web? Does your system respond immediately to user input? Or can you allow people to play with the information, turning a static message into an interactive one? Use numeric data to show people how they are doing, or translate data into analogous visual information. Feedback can be immediate, in the form of a quick challenge, or delivered at a later date as a monthly report. FEEDBACK LOOPS
- 29. LIMITED DURATION Given a choice between action and inaction, a limited time to respond increases the likelihood that people will participate.
- 30. How might this apply to the Web? While commonly used to promote purchasing behaviors, limited durations can also be used to shape day-to-day behaviors. Set limited times when certain actions can be taken. Make rewards available at specific times or have options that disappear if no action is taken within a specific period of time. LIMITED DURATION