Designing through the fog: Learning to see beyond our biases.
Behind every design choice is a decision. Here’s how bias shapes ours more than we realize.
ShreeyaVRokade
Bootcamp
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4 min read
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Apr 20, 2025
In product design, I often find myself navigating between what users need and what moves the business forward. That in-between space is challenging, especially when decisions are made under pressure or with limited perspectives. Lately, I’ve been reflecting more on how these decisions get made — and how they could be better.
While reading Building a Discovery Habit by Teresa Torres, I came across a reference to Decisive by Chip and Dan Heath. The book outlines four “villains” of decision-making — mental traps that subtly shape flawed choices. Once I saw them through that lens, I started recognizing them in design conversations, team decisions, and even my own thinking.
From “this is the only solution we have” to “should I just tweak that component and move on?” we’re constantly making judgment calls. And often, those calls are shaped by bias more than clarity. Here’s how I’m learning to spot these patterns and shift my approach.
1. Narrow framing
We often default to binary thinking. Should we ship this or not? Kill the feature or improve it? But design — like life — is rarely black and white. If 0 is “don’t do it” and 1 is “go all in,” why limit ourselves to just those endpoints? Maybe the better path lies somewhere in between, or even outside the scale altogether. Something unexpected that covers more ground, solves more than one need, or reframes the direction entirely.
Example: EM Design Team’s B2B app redesign
Initially focused only on UI flaws, the team later discovered workflow-level issues that impacted usability. Broadening their perspective led to better architecture and improved engagement.
Instead of asking “this or that,” I try asking “what else?” When the next product update comes around, try solving for more than one problem — because rarely is it just one thing.
2. Confirmation bias
We all do it. We fall in love with our own ideas. I’ve caught myself thinking, “this feels right, so it must be.” Growing up, I was told, “Don’t get too comfortable,” and in design, that advice still echoes. Comfort can lead us to seek affirmation instead of clarity.
Example: Amplitude’s product decisions
Amplitude shared how product managers often over-celebrated metrics that confirmed their hypotheses, while overlooking signals pointing to usability issues. This led to misdirected product priorities.
Be in a room where your thinking is challenged. It either helps you clarify your reasoning or evolve it into something better. When testing, ask for feedback that’s beyond just “yes” or “no.” Look for feedback that brings up alternate paths, because that’s where real insights lie.
3. Short-term emotion
Sprints can create tunnel vision. The pressure to ship can override the time it takes to ask: are we building what users really need? I’ve felt this rush, especially when a decision “needs to be made now.” But urgency often masquerades as clarity.
Example: Atlassian’s 2018 Jira redesign
Driven by internal momentum, Atlassian rolled out a major UI overhaul that disrupted user workflows. The result was frustration and backlash. A deeper pause might have helped reframe their sprint goals.
Maybe it’s not about slowing everything down, but about adding more pause points. Would it help to build micro-loops within sprints? Touch base with users during the build, not just before and after — and with other teams too. Cross-functional collaboration, as obvious as it sounds, doesn’t always happen by default. We need to make a conscious effort to include those perspectives early on, not just at the final review.
4. Overconfidence
This one is subtle. The more time we spend with a product, the more we think we know it. But familiarity isn’t foresight. Just like Harvey Specter from the TV series Suits once said, “If you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room.” That line sticks with me. Being confident is good, but being unchallenged is dangerous.
Example: Tesco’s Fresh & Easy U.S. launch
Tesco assumed their successful UK retail model would thrive in the U.S., but overlooked key differences in shopping behavior. The miscalculation led to a major market withdrawal.
Even if you’ve iterated a hundred times, the problem may still evolve. Keep testing. Keep checking your assumptions. It’s completely okay to rework something — sometimes, that’s exactly what the product (and you) need.
A final thought (still thinking out loud)
We all have our design demons. Mine sometimes shows up as “this should be good enough.” But I’ve come to realize that good design isn’t about being right the first time. It’s about being ready to adjust. No product is ever truly finished, and the audience keeps evolving. So should we.
Wireframes give shape to our thinking, but it’s the mindset behind them that guides better decisions. For me, that means questioning assumptions, staying open to new inputs, and making space for better choices — especially when they don’t show up right away.
Torres, T. (2021). Continuous Discovery Habits.
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2013). Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work.
EM Design Team B2B Redesign Case Study: Medium — Tanmaya Deshpande
DECISIVE: 4 VILLAINS OF DECISION MAKING. — Mighty O. Ayanbamiji