Design Ruts and Functional Fixedness NNgroup English (auto-generated) English

Design Ruts and Functional FixednessYouTube↗ IA↗(long shot)
Science & Technology 1.2K views 64 likes 0 dislikes 20 Nov 2020

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how would you attach this candle to a

- How would you attach this candle to a wall

wall given these objects in a classic

given these objects? I a classic psychology study

psychology study people attempted to

people attempted to solve this problem

solve this problem by trying to use the

by trying to use the thumbtacks

thumbtacks to pin the candle to the wall

to pin the candle to the wall.

or use the match to melt the side of the

Or used a match to melt the side of the candle

candle to get it to stick

to get it to stick.

very few came up with the idea to dump

Very few came up with the idea

out the thumbtacks and reuse the box as

to dump out the thumb tacks

a candle holder as they'd become fixated

and reuse the box as a candle holder. As they become fixated on seeing the box

on seeing the box solely as the

solely as the container for the thumbtacks,

container for the thumbtacks rather than as another item they could use to solve

rather than as another item they could use

the problem this tendency to think of

to solve the problem.

objects only in the original way they're

This tendency to think of objects

presented is a cognitive bias referred to as functional fixedness this concept

only in the original way they're presented, is a cognitive bias referred to as functional fixedness.

originated in Gestalt psychology and was

This concept originated in gestalt psychology

defined by Karl Duncker as a mental

and was defined by Karl Duncker as

block against using an object in a new

as a mental block against using an object

way that is required to solve a problem

in a new way that's required to solve a problem.

of course this tendency is mostly a good

Of course, this tendency is mostly a good thing.

thing it saves us from needing to constantly reinvent the wheel then again

It saves us from needing to constantly reinvent the wheel.

when our goal is to reinvent something

Then again, when our goal is to reinvent something,

then we need to work to overcome this

then we need to work to overcome this cognitive fixedness

cognitive fixedness so we can think

so we can think outside the box,

outside the box

break out of our design ruts

break out of our design ruts and come up

and come up with truly novel solutions.

with truly novel solutions in UX design it's easy to become fixated on a certain

In UX design, it's easy to become fixated

solution for a problem because we're

on a certain solution for a problem.

often redesigning something that already

Because we're often redesigning something

exists either something we've created in

that already exists. Either something we've created in the past

the past or things that others have

or things that others have designed

designed that we've looked at for

that we've looked at for inspiration.

inspiration however by seeing those examples we're

However, by seeing those examples,

actually making it harder for ourselves

we're actually making it harder

to be creative because it's human nature

for ourselves to be creative.

to inadvertently copy elements from

Because it's human nature to inadvertently copy elements from those examples

those examples even if we know those parts of it are problematic but we can't

even if we know those parts of it are problematic.

just start living under a rock to avoid

But we can't just start living under a rock

ever seeing previous solutions

to avoid ever seeing previous solutions.

thankfully recognizing our tendency to

Thankfully, recognizing our tendency

become fixated already helps us avoid it

to become fixated already helps us avoid it.

and I'll give you three more strategies

And I'll give you three more strategies you can use

you can use to overcome this bias the

to overcome this bias.

first is to abstract the design problem

The first is to abstract the design problem

to remove surface details and focus on

to remove surface details and focus on that core issue.

that core issue we can also abstract specific components of the problem to

We can also abstract specific components

separate them from their original

of the problem to separate them

function for instance thinking of this

from their original function. For instance, thinking of this

not as a whole candle but instead is

not as a whole candle but instead

just some wax and interwoven threads

as just some wax and interwoven threads.

another strata is to purposefully avoid reusing any

Another strategy is to purposely avoid

features we've seen in an example

reusing any features we've seen in an example solution.

solution this forces us to attempt to

This forces us to attempt to come up with something new

come up with something new rather than

rather than simply recycling old ideas.

simply recycling old ideas and lastly try multitasking research has suggested

And lastly, try multitasking.

that a laser sharp focus may actually

Research has suggested that a laser-sharp focus

hinder creativity because the prolonged

may actually hinder creativity.

concentration encourages you to get

Because the prolonged concentration

encourages you to get fixated on it.

thus switching tasks and help reduce

Thus switching tasks can help reduce fixation

fixation by allowing your mind to wander

by allowing your mind to wander

and perhaps later come up with a more

and perhaps later come up with a more innovative solution.

innovative solution so the next time you feel stuck in a design rut and need some

So the next time you feel stuck in a design rut

help thinking outside the box give it a rest you

and need some help thinking outside the box, give it a rest.

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