Word: Framing effect

Definition: A form of cognitive bias, in which a person's reaction to a specific choice is different depending on the way in which the situation is presented.

Reference: Leaders in the study of behavioral economics, Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, wrote a paper entitled "The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice" in 1981 to understand the psychological impact of framing effects.

The study asked the first group of participants if they would drive 20 minutes out of their way to buy a $15 calculator for $5 off. About 70% of participants said they would. For comparison, they asked a second group of participants if they would drive 20 minutes out of their way to save $5 on a $125 jacket. This time, only 29% said they would.

So what's the rationale behind this seeming irrationality? In the case of the calculator, the participant would be saving 33% off the original price, which feels like a great deal. On the flip side, she is only saving 4% when $5 is taken off the $125 coat and that just doesn't seem worth it.

It's all about the framing!

Thoughts: When creating a design that involves decision making, these are the types of psychological principles designers need to consider.

Remember to keep in mind that framing effects are closely tied to anchoring, both of which are extremely useful in e-commerce, particularly when it comes to price-setting.

Word: Infinite Scroll

Definition:  When the content on a page continuously loads as the user scrolls down the page; essentially eliminating the need for pagination. Think Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter.

Thoughts: Infinite scroll has become an enormously popular user interface trend. It requires less precision and much fewer clicks, which typically help retain user attention over time. This UI pattern is extremely useful when displaying a large amount of content, all with a similar hierarchy, like on social media.

However, like most UI patterns, there is a time and a place for everything. It is not always the best option when designing a goal-oriented task, like locating specific objects or comparing products. When there is a goal at stake, an infinite scroll can feel like information-overload and make the task seem more difficult to accomplish.

Moral of this story is that infinite scroll is a trendy and effective UI technique, just make sure that it is used properly and with purpose!

Question: How much does the threat of page loading time effect your decision to utilize an infinite scroll your design?

Word:  Feature Creep

Definition: The ongoing addition of new features to a product that tends to result in over-complication and loss of initial focus and purpose.

Thought:  Feature creep is the exact reason why it's important to identify an MVP (Most Viable Product) and stick with it. This is the time to excise self-control. Pick your most important features to build out, and then build only those. As soon as you start introducing new and unnecessary additions, you're product will lose its focus which can be disastrous. That is my PSA, please know you have been warned.

Question: Can you think of a great but simple product that was ruined by feature creep?