Users tend to credit their successes to their abilities and blame their failures on external factors.
Definition
Self-serving bias is a cognitive bias that causes individuals to attribute positive outcomes to their own actions and negative outcomes to external factors. This bias affects how users perceive and interact with interfaces, often leading to misinterpretations of their own abilities and the product's functionality.
Do
Design clear and concise feedback mechanisms to guide users about correct and incorrect actions
Provide support and guided assistance in case of errors or difficulties
Ensure user instructions and interface design are intuitive and easy to understand
Avoid
Don't blame users for errors or difficulties. Instead, use these instances as opportunities for improvement
Don't make the interface overly complex or difficult to navigate
Don't withhold feedback from users, especially during complex tasks
When to apply
When a user successfully completes a task or action within the interface
When a user fails to accomplish a goal using the product
When the interface provides feedback on user performance or actions