I was recently, at work, given the book, The Paradox of Choice, to read. It confirms many anecdotal stories and observations I have had about human behavior and decision making.
A long time ago, I heard a report on NPR about a study that said, “People who research decisions and review many alternatives are usually UN-happier with their decision than people who make “gut” decisions. The reason, says Barry Schwartz, has to do with basic human pschology; our aversion to loss, regret and avoidance of responsibility. Decision-making, says Napolean Bonaparte, is the most difficult skill to master and therefore, the most valuable.
This education gives me better insight into why certain web designs work better than others. It also bolsters my world view that information architecture is one of the most important design tools we have in the 21st century.
More on this later, but here is some advice…make more gut decisions. Don’t think about the alternatives, they will only make you upset.
Whatya think?