• 84 Cognitive biases you should exploit to design better products
  • Originally posted by @Gilbouhnick
  • The Nuggets translation Project
  • Permanent link to this article: github.com/xitu/gold-m…
  • Translator: Jiang Wuzhu
  • Proofread by: Shinichi4849, Moonliujk

Designing Better Products using 84 Cognitive Biases — Part II


  • Designing Better Products using 84 Cognitive Biases — Part 1
  • Designing Better Products using 84 Cognitive Biases — Part II
  • Designing Better Products using 84 Cognitive Biases — Part III

Easy to be persuaded

The art of persuasion! Here are some (good value?) Techniques can help you better communicate your message.

22. Anchoring effect

We often rely too much on initial information (” anchoring “) to make subsequent decisions.

How to use it: The oldest trick in the book is to use a high price as an anchor, then cross it out and set a lower price next to it.

Looking at how Steve Jobs used it at the iPad launch, I have to ask: does it really work?

Anchoring effect — demonstrated by Apple’s Steve Jobs at the iPad launch

Steve Jobs demonstrated the anchoring effect

However, this is how I see anchoring:

Example of anchoring effect — The Mobile Spoon

Anchoring effect in product pricing

Hyperbolic discounting

We prefer immediate returns (albeit small ones) to larger late returns.

Tip: Offer small discounts for immediate payments (or free shipping) rather than big discounts for future purchases.

Hyperbolic discounting – offers a small discount for immediate payment

Offer small discounts for immediate payment

24. Social approval

If people like us are using it — it must be a good product!

Is that right?

How to use it: Social approval is a great way to build trust. Here are some examples that can be used on websites and app Store pages:

  1. Well-known customer identification
  2. Well-known partner identification
  3. Customer recommendations (from target audience)
  4. Data (customer data, transaction data, session data — from any working mode)
  5. Media references and quotes (” such as… See “)
  6. Praise from well-known institutions (WIRED’s Hottest startups)
  7. certification
  8. Case studies related to actual numbers
Social identity – Use data and customer identity to build trust

Not so good — “We’re awesome because…” Instead, let someone else prove it:

Social validation — Don’t say, “We’re awesome because…” Instead, let someone else prove it

25. Authority bias

We believe that authority figures give more accurate advice and are more likely to be influenced by that advice (even if the subject has nothing to do with the authority of the figure).

How to use: Establish authority by promoting a well-known recommendation of a product:

  1. Connect with influencers and get them to use your product or service for free
  2. Highlight well-known customers or brands
  3. Show recommendations from celebrities
  4. Use authority figures (e.g. doctors, professors, etc.) in product presentations and presentations
Authority bias – Promoting the most powerful recommendation

26. Herd effect (herd effect)

Often the reason we do something is simply because “Everyone is doing it!” (Is everyone a ketogenic diet?)

We change our minds based on how many people support our ideas.

Marketing trick: Convince people that if everyone is using your product, more people will use it.

Here’s another example of using the herd effect in a product:

Conformity effect – the “most popular” case

The “most popular” case

27. Attribution bias

We are all social animals, and in order to be part of a group, we often behave like other members of the group. If all developers are using Slack — you probably should too, right?

Imitation technique: Use data, such as number of customers, number of sessions, number of services provided, to convince people that your product is standard.

28. Group bias

Once we are part of a group, we almost “automatically” favor members of our group over members of other groups.

Favoritism within a group also means that we help members of our own group more often.

Group deviation

29. I did not create it

We avoid using (or buying) products that already exist because they come from outside, and we prefer to invent similar products ourselves.

Here’s an example: when your engineering team tends to develop something from scratch rather than using an existing product.

Management tip: Curb this by praising your team. Their expertise needs to be used to develop the core features of the product, not wasted on building the wheel.

Read: 11 lessons learned from Trying to become a data-driven company

30. Belief bias

We are more likely to accept a conclusion that is consistent with what we already know and reject arguments that contradict that conclusion.

Writing tip: Don’t exaggerate when talking about product benefits.

If it seems too good to be true, people doubt it.

31. The dunggate effect

When we connect with our users through small agreements, it’s easier to reach agreement with them on larger agreements.

Subscription tip: Connect with users by offering free trials.

Guide Flow UX design tip: Don’t frustrate users with overly complex guide flows.

Keep users happy and engaged by breaking up chunks of content into smaller or easily solvable pieces.

Step up the ladder effect — Make it easy to guide the process by creating “small achievements”

Make small achievements in the guiding process

32. Variable rewards

We can derive more pleasure from unexpected gifts.

** Product skills: ** Attract users with daily discounts, free bonuses, honor points and other prizes.

The more “actions” a user does on a daily basis, the more connected they feel to the product.

Changeable rewards – attract users with daily discounts, free bonuses, honor points and other prizes.

Attract users with daily discounts, free bonuses, honor points and other prizes

It’s not as rational as we think

Making rational choices is not as easy as it seems.

33. Gambler’s Fallacy

We mistakenly believe that if something happens more often than normal in a certain period of time, it will happen less often in the future.

Job-related skills: Stick to facts. Rely on data rather than intuition.

34. Identify deviations

We search for and favor information that confirms our initial thoughts and preconceptions.

Q: Do you iterate over your KPI reports, from weeks to months to months to quarters, until you find the conclusion you want?

35. Uncertainty bias

We tend to ignore evidence that contradicts what we think.

Q: Have you ever liked a candidate so much that you overlooked some of his or her flaws?

Read: 5 Product Management Lessons from B2B to B2C

36. Framing effect

Our decision-making process is not always as rational as we think, and we are influenced by the way information is presented (positive and negative frames).

Product tip: In most cases, frontal frames (where the glass is half full, not half empty) have a higher conversion rate.

Framing – Try using the “glass is half full” expression to improve conversion rates

Positive framing practices

37. Linkage effects

Our perception of things is influenced by the context in which they are presented or occur.

In visual design, people’s perception of the color or size of an object is different because of its location and way of presentation.

Contextual effects in design

38. Selective perception

Our perception of things is largely influenced by our expectations.

Product and Marketing tips: The product funnel doesn’t start when users log in, it starts when they first see your AD.

Inconsistencies between your marketing message and what your product offers will frustrate your users and lead to a drop in conversion rates.

Consistent messages across all mediums (stages of the funnel) will lead to the right expectations from users, leading to higher conversion rates.

The Hot hand Fallacy

A mistaken view is that a person who has experienced success has a better chance of achieving further success.

How to use it: Build your brand by highlighting a series of success stories.

The Hot Hand Fallacy — If Ashton Kutcher invests in this startup, it must be a good one, right?

If Ashton Kutcher invests in this startup, it must be a good one, right?

40. Looking forward to

Anticipating positive experiences excites our brains, which helps boost our sense of well-being.

For example, holidays that involve waiting several months tend to be a better experience. We were excited and happy to buy tickets to Avengers endgame in advance.

Product Tip: Create anticipation by announcing (or releasing) your new product early. Create a positive topic and something to look forward to and make sure your audience is excited about it.

41. Information bias

We seek information even if it doesn’t influence our behavior.

Product Tip: When showing products or services (on your website or on your product) – be sure to include detailed instructions in your photos. The more information you add to your product description, the more guaranteed your users will be.

Not as sure as we say

Of course, we did some research before we made our decision, we just forgot a few things along the way, that’s all…

42. Acquisitive heuristics (Acquisitive bias)

Things that spring to mind are considered more common and important than things that don’t come to mind easily. So recent, frequent, extreme, remembered events have more impact than most information.

UI tip: Make your design memorable by creating something different without compromising consistency and familiarity.

Acquisitive heuristics (acquisitive bias)

43. Attention bias

In examining all possible outcomes — we tend to focus on the ones that seem rational and familiar, and ignore the other effects.

Q: Have you ever released a feature that you thought would lead to definite results, only to discover that it had side effects that you hadn’t anticipated?

Attention bias

44. Fluency heuristics

We see higher value in things that are faster, smoother, smoother.

Sometimes illogical arguments that are well communicated (by people with authority and experience) can also win the day.

Fluency heuristic

There’s a related term “mental shortcuts” — people often use heuristics to make decisions, and you should take full advantage of them in your design.

Product Skills:

  1. Convenience for users (fast, simple, and easy to understand navigation)
  2. Make content easy to browse (images, easy-to-read fonts)
  3. Create a “mental shortcut” that will engage users and drive them to make your product their first choice
  4. Provide default options that make sense, because users will think you have their best interests in mind and will choose the default options as much as possible
  5. Add powerful cross-product searches to simplify searching for specific topics

For example:

Here are two examples of ways to make it easier for users to make your product their first choice.

Users expect the product to provide ready-made defaults

Users expect the product to provide ready-made defaults

Fluency heuristic in product design – provides simple shortcuts to recent operations

Provides simple shortcuts to recent operations

Job-related Tips: Do your homework: Gather enough data, write down your ideas and think about how to express them, work on the design.

45. The Google Effect (also known as Digital Amnesia)

We can easily find the forgotten information on the Internet.

Q: Do you remember the phone number of your best friend or child?


  • Designing Better Products using 84 Cognitive Biases — Part 1
  • Designing Better Products using 84 Cognitive Biases — Part II
  • Designing Better Products using 84 Cognitive Biases — Part III

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