Video summary
Designing effectively around human behaviors and cognitive biases requires a deep understanding of cultural context rather than relying on a universal approach to psychology. While it is tempting to assume that psychological principles apply equally to everyone, the reality is that different cultures possess distinct mentalities and expectations that significantly influence user experience. For instance, Japanese train stations are characterized by an abundance of signage and explanatory stickers next to buttons, which might seem overwhelming or daunting to someone unfamiliar with the culture but provides necessary clarity for locals. Similarly, Chinese e-commerce applications often feature dense layouts with minimal white space and numerous animated elements, a design choice that engages users accustomed to such information-rich environments. These examples illustrate that what appears cluttered or excessive to one group may be the expected norm and a functional necessity for another.
The core argument presented is that familiarity plays a pivotal role in how users interact with digital products, often outweighing principles of simplicity advocated by Western design philosophies. Users from specific regions expect certain visual cues and interactive patterns based on their upbringing, and deviating from these established norms can lead to confusion or a sense that essential features are missing. When designers attempt to apply a simplified, minimalist interface to a market where users are used to high information density, it can inadvertently cause users to ask more questions rather than reducing cognitive load. Therefore, before jumping into design tools like Figma, it is crucial to conduct thorough research to understand the specific biases and needs of the target audience without showing them prototypes that might prematurely bias their responses.
Ultimately, successful global product design involves navigating the tension between generalized psychological theories and the specific nuances of local cultures. Stakeholders may sometimes resist acknowledging these cultural differences in favor of a standardized approach, but ignoring them can lead to significant user friction and failure. The video emphasizes that true understanding comes from asking direct questions about user behavior and needs within their specific cultural context rather than relying solely on generalized websites or assumptions. By challenging the notion that psychology is a one-size-fits-all solution and committing to targeted research, designers can find the right balance—often described as the "Goldilocks" zone—that respects local familiarity while creating effective experiences for diverse global audiences.
Read the full video transcript
How do you design around behaviors and
biases?
>> As much as we'd love to say [music]
psychology is almost like a
one-sizefits- all, most people think
like this, when you do start to boil it
down to cultures, it does [music]
differentiate it.
>> If you go to a Japanese train station,
there's just signs everywhere. If you
also look at like Chinese websites or
e-commerce apps, I don't know if there's
that much white space. People in certain
countries when they go onto their
websites they expect to see certain
things you know while it might work
there it [music] might not work
somewhere else that is all about
familiarity that they have grown up with
those kind of experiences and they kind
of expect it and that really does go
down to the mentality and that's the
psychology of those people from
different cultures can be quite
different. How important is it to soak
up all that context [music] and
recognizing behaviors and biases before
you actually jump in Figma? When you
spoke about the sort of um information
overload and sort of simplification,
there's also the case where it's kind of
rooted and based in um a lot of cultural
things or different cultures. So, the
example that I wanted to bring up was
like if you go to a Japanese train
station, there's just signs everywhere.
And uh it's it's pretty crazy for
someone who has not been to Japan or
even if you try to use a ticket machine,
there's like not only are there buttons,
but there are like stickers next to the
buttons to explain what the button does
and all this stuff. And for for someone
who hasn't been, it's quite daunting.
And then the and then connected to that
is if you also look at like Chinese
websites or Chinese apps like e-commerce
apps they like uh I I I don't know if
there's that much white space because
it's kind of like uh they they cram a
lot of things in. So [snorts] I think
this is connected to the sort of the
next topic which is like how do you
design around behaviors and biases where
you like of course context is always
um the king understanding that first and
then kind of like uh apply it to the
situations that you're in. But yeah, I
guess my question is in in that sense
like how important is it to I guess soak
up all that context and recognizing
behaviors and biases before you actually
jump in Figma, for example.
>> Yeah, absolutely. I I think as you were
talking about it, uh there's a website
that came to mind from years ago. I
think it was a a Chinese car dealership
site or something like that. I always
remember it. It was used a lot in
examples like 10 years ago or something
and yeah I remember it now the cartoon
faces of people everywhere. There was
about hundred cars in one page, offers,
badges everywhere, right? Um and I think
I think to that point I think kind of
what is important from a psychological p
perspective and another principle to
follow as well is is familiarity.
Um, and you know that comes into kind of
you know how do I create this experience
that is the right thing to do or how how
do I make sure I'm best considered like
you said before I go into Figma. So
cultural is is a really good aspect
because from a familiarity aspect, yes,
there are people in certain countries
when they go onto their websites, they
expect to see certain things and you
know those countries know that that type
of experience works for some people in
those countries that you know big flashy
signs and lots of animated effects like
engages people and want makes them want
to click certain things. And you know
while it might work there it might not
work somewhere else and you know they
could and you know we look at some of
those uh those sites you know maybe as
British or US people and think this is
crazy like I don't know what I'm looking
at but other people know those sites
well know exactly how to navigate them.
So that that is all about familiarity.
They have grown up with those kind of
experiences and they kind of expect it
like it's it's just the norm for them.
So interestingly for them it's it's more
difficult to create an experience that's
far more simplified because they start
to feel like things are missing and it
does lean on another actually by taking
away too much information in various
different ways you end up having the
user ask more questions about what's
going on. So yeah, I I'd love to see a
user test of someone in the Chinese
market trying to use the most simplistic
app because yeah, I could see it being
different. Um, but yeah, to your point,
yeah, how do you make sure you, you
know, you really understand what's going
on before you go in? You you understand
the biases of different people, cultural
for sure. you know, if you are a global
um product, you need to understand the
famili familiarity of experiences of
those different cultures. And you know,
it's not just about we've got to make
sure the typography fits because certain
languages are longer than others, that
kind of stuff. It's the experience
itself. It's very different. And that
really does go down to the mentality and
that's the psychology of those people
from different cultures can be quite
different. So yeah, it's as much as we'd
love to say psychology is almost like a
one-sizefits-all, most people think like
this, when you do start to boil it down
to cultures, it does differentiate it.
So it's good to challenge yourself with
that. Um, yeah, and you can only do that
through research as well. Yeah, as much
as you can lean on the psychology
websites for just a generalized view,
>> research specifically with those markets
and understand the differences in their
needs without even showing them
anything. There's sometimes no point in
giving them a screen because it's going
to bias them in a different way. Ask
them a question, see how they respond.
It will be different by culture. And I
think that's the great learning first
before you work out what's the
Goldilocks of all those different needs
into one.
>> Right. Right. Um
have you [snorts] uh are there any war
stories around trying to communicate
biases to stakeholders and for them just
being like, "Yeah, but I don't really
care. Like we we should do this anyway."
paper and you're like, "Oh, but really
like you know like this this could go
really wrong. Like this could be really
bad. Any any war stories around that or
something like
>> against the Yeah, sure.
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