Recently, I read an article analyzing the decision-making system of the brain and how to apply this knowledge to user experience design. I summarized it.
Every day, we make a lot of decisions, from deciding whether to press the alarm clock when we get up in the morning, to choosing what clothes to wear, to deciding what to eat for breakfast. According to researchers, adults make about 35,000 decisions every day. These decisions include not only daily trivial matters, but also more important decisions, such as buying goods or sending important emails.
How are our decisions made?
The answer is that there are two systems in the brain at work.
The decision-making system of the brain
Behavioral economics is a discipline that combines economics and psychology, which helps us understand people's behavior in the real world. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky proposed the dual-system decision model, which helps us understand user behavior and design more effectively.
Fast system (System 1): This is an unconscious, instinctive, and emotional system that works automatically, quickly, and consumes little energy. This system is responsible for simple decisions in daily life, such as brushing teeth or browsing social media.
Slow system (System 2): This is a conscious, focused system that consumes more energy. This system is responsible for complex decisions, such as investment decisions or solving complex math problems.
How to apply decision psychology to user experience design
Understanding these two decision systems is crucial for user experience designers. Here are some strategies for applying decision psychology to design:
Forecast user reactions: When designing interfaces, consider the fast and intuitive reactions of System 1. For example, Netflix's recommendation algorithm quickly presents users with options based on their viewing history, allowing for fast and intuitive decisions.
Support the decision process: Provide clear and detailed information to support the analytical needs of System 2. For example, Airbnb provides detailed pictures and host information to help travelers make smart accommodation choices.
Mitigating cognitive biases: Being aware of potential biases and designing to counteract them. For example, Notion provides templates and guides to help users avoid decision fatigue caused by too many choices.
Contextual awareness: Understanding the user's context and providing information based on the context. For example, Spotify uses contextual data to provide personalized playlists and recommendations to enhance the listener's experience.
Decision-making for UX Designers
As UX designers, we are also influenced by the dual system theory. To ensure fairness, we should analyze and understand the user's context, determine what information they need to know immediately and what information they can know later, and break the information into digestible chunks. This approach helps create designs that effectively guide users' decisions.
Conclusion
Understanding the brain's decision-making process is essential for UX designers. By applying the principles of decision psychology, we can design more effective and human-centric products and services to improve the user experience. Designers can avoid cognitive biases by using diverse user testing groups to ensure that design decisions are based on objective data rather than personal biases. During the design process, one should avoid hiding information or making content overly complex to prevent users from making uninformed decisions. In addition, designers should keep an open mind and accept feedback from different backgrounds so that the design can be viewed from multiple perspectives.