What is Availability Heuristic in UX? 3 Tips to minimize its effect on our design decisions!
TL;DR: There is a summary at the end!
What is Availability Heuristic?
The Availability heuristic is a cognitive bias where people make judgments based on the most easily available information. In other words, people tend to believe that what comes to mind quickly is most likely to be true or important.
Now we know what that is we should see what does that mean in UX?
In UX, the Availability heuristic can impact how users perceive and make decisions about a product. For example, if a website loads quickly, users might associate it with being trustworthy and professional, even if there are no objective reasons for this association. Similarly, if a user has had a good experience with a website in the past, they might assume that their future experiences will also be positive, even if the website has changed in the meantime.
One of the most significant impacts of the availability heuristic bias is on designers and our decision-making process. Below are some examples of how this bias can affect UX design decisions.
1. Focusing on extreme cases
We may overlook the more common user needs when we focus too much on the most extreme or rare cases.
For example, a we may focus on making sure that a website can handle extremely large file uploads, without considering that most users will never need to upload a file that large. This focus on edge cases may lead to a product that doesn’t meet the needs of the majority of users.
2. Neglecting user research
If we make assumptions about our users without conducting thorough research, we may be subject to the availability heuristic bias.
For example, we may assume that all users will be familiar with a particular type of interaction or UI element, without considering that different user groups may have different levels of familiarity or comfort with the technology. This assumption may lead to a product that is not accessible or user-friendly for a significant portion of the target audience.
It is such a common mistake. I made it multiple times! When I was teaching technology to seniors, I noticed that they often struggle with icons that we consider simple to detect. This made me realize how frequently we make these assumptions without even realizing it.
3. Over-reliance on recent trends
We are constantly influenced by the most recent design trends everywhere, and sometimes we forget boring established best practices.
For example, we may decide to implement a new navigation system in our website without fully considering the user’s experience. While the new navigation system may be visually impressive, it may not be the most user-friendly solution for the website’s target audience.
There are many times that I get confused navigating through Awwward’s winning websites!
Ok, now we know what it is in UX how can we minimize its effect on our design decisions? 🤔
Here are 3 tips to do so!
1. Questioning our decisions more often
Questioning our design decisions more often is a crucial step in minimizing the effect of the Availability heuristic bias in UX design. It means taking the time to evaluate our assumptions and decisions critically, and considering alternative approaches. This means not just going with the first thing that comes to mind, but taking time to look at different options and think about what will work best for everyone who will use it. To do this, we need to be willing to change our minds and learn new things as we go along.
2. Conduct thorough user research
In order to gain a deeper understanding of users’ needs and behaviors, it’s important to conduct thorough user research. This can include surveys, interviews, and usability testing. By gathering a broader range of information, we can avoid relying solely on the most readily available information.
3. Use data
Rather than relying on assumptions or anecdotal evidence, we can use data to inform our design decisions. This can include analytics data, A/B testing, and user feedback. By basing our decisions on data, we can make better decisions.
Summary
Here is the summary that I promised!
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