Hey there, this topic is a bit serious but at the same time, it’s going to be a fun read.
First of all, Introduction.
As we grow we realize that not everything is supposed to be the way we think and make the perception about. This is called “Bias”. And as designers, we need to focus on the goal of connecting with the user without getting affected by any of the factors of our mind or someone else’s thoughts.
The world is full of people who have, never since childhood, met an open door with an open mind.
~ E.B White.
Let me tell you a little gist of what I know about Dele.
My friend Dele spoke to me years back about transitioning and we had a lengthy talk on how he could achieve that, so as to land his dream job as a UX designer. Well, with all seriousness and effort put in, he landed himself a job. Fast forward to some years later, Dele reaches out to me complaining how his supervisor always complains about every aspect of his designed work on a daily basis. This got me thinking about bias in UX.
Bias is the way humans interpret and evaluate context and information about something according to how they are illustrated and perceived through their values and beliefs. Which can influence the design process.
Bias- A Historical Companion And Persistent Hurdle.
It is in human nature to possess bias in something or person. For instance, bias can let us accept a politician who represents our values but rather reject others. However, if we don’t check our biased assumptions it can lead us to false predictions and bad judgment. Bias is either conscious or unconscious.
Unconscious refers to a personal bias that we are not aware of. It is the cause of the impulsive reaction of events that impact our lives and leads to quick judgment . It is also a cognitive reasoning that was embedded in our brains long before we realized it. It is easier to detect bias in others than within ourselves. Moreover, this is why design thinking processes such as empathize, persona, and user story, help to overcome bias and look past logical norms.
Overall, remember that bias is natural but can also tilt our view on the most important part of our users. With Dele’s sad complaints, I now discovered that following the bias is something that can be put in check throughout a design thinking phase, the importance of design thinking, ideation, empathy, user journey, and so on.
