Choosing a belief over a truth — and what it means for your product design.

There is a theory (the Semmelweis Effect) that says people are less likely to believe something that is new to them — but true — if it goes against what they believe to be true. Even if what they believe to be true is actually false.

The point here is that beliefs hold more power for most people than facts.

No thank you, that fact just isn’t for me. Illustration via Icon Library.

This kind of bias a big challenge if you’re trying to do something different out there with your product, especially if it challenges people’s beliefs about what your kind of product does — or should — do 🤓❤️