Peeking Behind the Curtain of our Subconsciousness

This comprehensive series explores the world of cognitive biases in technology and product design. Inspired by the Cognitive Bias Codex from Design Hacks, this series transcends a simple catalog of biases, turning them into valuable insights for UX designers, product managers, engineers, and the entire team.

Biases are almost impossible to avoid completely, but by understanding how they work and how they manifest themselves we can work to mitigate their effects on our daily work as a software team.

Each item below offers the bias’ history, a unique perspective on the bias, real-world examples, and key takeaways for various roles in the tech industry. Join us on this insightful journey, and discover how understanding cognitive biases can empower you and your team to to face these biases head on.


This list below is just the beginning. Each week we’re diving into a new bias, and there’s still lots to cover! Check back every Friday and you’ll get a fresh bias breakdown to explore. And if you’re really interested, follow along on on my notion doc.

Together, we’ll make our way through this fascinating maze. Sign up for the newsletter and never miss a single bias. We’re all in this learning journey together, and I’m excited to share each new piece with you as we go!

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    Too Much Information

    We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
    Bizarre funny visually-striking things stick out more than non-bizarre/unfunny things
    We notice when something has changed
    We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
    We notice flaws in others more easily than we notice flaws in ourselves

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    Not Enough Meaning

    We tend to find stories and data when looking at sparse data
    We fill in characteristics from stereotypes generalities and prior histories
    We imagine things and people we’re familiar with or fond of as better
    We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
    We think we know what other people are thinking
    We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future

    Need to Act Fast

    We favor simple-looking options and complete information over complex ambiguous options
    To avoid mistakes we aim to preserve autonomy and group status and avoid irreversible decisions
    To get things done we tend to complete things we’ve time & energy in
    To stay focused we favor the immediate relatable thing in front of us
    To act we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important

    What Should We Remember?

    We store memories differently based on how they are experienced
    We reduce events and lists to their key elements
    We discard specifics to form generalities
    We edit and reinforce some memories after the fact
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