Sunk Cost Fallacy in UX Design: What It Is and How to Avoid It

Have you ever spent time and money on something and later found out it wasn’t working? This is called sunk cost fallacy. It means we keep investing time and resources into something even though it’s not working because we’ve already spent so much on it.

This can be a problem in UX design because designers may keep working on a project even though it’s not successful. They may be too focused on the time and money they’ve already spent to see that the project is not working well.

Examples of Sunk Cost Fallacy in UX Design

Here are a few examples:

• A designer is working on a website, but it’s not turning out well. They keep working on it even though it’s not successful because they’ve already spent so much time and money on it.
• A designer is working on a mobile app, but it’s not user-friendly. They keep trying to make it work even though it’s not successful because they’ve already spent so much time on it.
• A designer is working on a product design, but it’s not selling. They keep trying to make it work even though it’s not successful because they’ve already spent so much money on it.

Here are some tips to help you avoid sunk cost fallacy:

• Take a break and look at the project from a different perspective.
• Focus on the future and what you can do to make the project successful.
• Be honest with yourself and admit when a project is not working.
• Don’t be afraid to try something new and change the project if it’s not working.

In summary, sunk cost fallacy is a common problem in UX design, but you can avoid it by being aware of the problem and making changes. By focusing on the future and being honest with yourself, you can make better decisions for your projects.