Have you ever tried to implement change in a team or an organisation, particularly in the fast-paced world of IT? If you have, you know:

• it's not just about overcoming the inherent difficulties of change itself;

• it's also about navigating the subtle yet significant mental traps we often overlook.

Yes, I'm talking about cognitive biases – those mental shortcuts that can both streamline our thinking and mislead us in critical ways. An example of this is the Dunning-Kruger Effect (which I hope you already had a chance to read about).

Welcome back to my series on the intriguing world of cognitive biases. Today, we're diving into two biases that are particularly pervasive in the IT realm: 'Selective Perception' and 'Confirmation Bias.' These aren't just academic concepts; they're everyday realities that shape how we make decisions, develop software, lead teams and live our life.

In this article, we'll explore how these biases manifest in IT, from the coding choices we champion to the project updates we choose to focus on. And yes, we'll also discuss strategies to mitigate their impact, ensuring our decisions are driven by reality, not just our perceptions of it.

Whether you're a developer, a project manager, or a head of department, understanding these biases is the first step towards making more informed, objective decisions in every day life. Take, for instance, the scenario where IT management only focusing on the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that are in the green, while conveniently ignoring those in the red, because, well, who likes to admit there's room for improvement?

So, what is Confirmation Bias?

Confirmation bias, people’s tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with their existing beliefs.

This biased approach to decision making is largely unintentional, and it results in a person ignoring information that is inconsistent with their beliefs. These beliefs can include a person’s expectations in a given situation and their predictions about a particular outcome. People are especially likely to process information to support their own beliefs when an issue is highly important or self-relevant.

In the field of IT and software development, Confirmation Bias manifests in various ways. For instance, developers might prefer certain programming languages, frameworks, or methodologies not because they are the most suitable for a project, but because they align with their personal preferences or past experiences. This bias can result in missed opportunities, holding onto outdated or ineffective practices, and d*elivering less than optimal technological solutions*.

A CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of Complete Merchant Solutions highlighted how Confirmation Bias often drives us to make inferior choices in coding and technology. He observed developers often engage in endless debates over technologies like React vs. Angular or AWS vs. Azure. However, such preferences rarely significantly impact the success of software, indicating a strong presence of Confirmation Bias.

To combat this, we need to:

• challenge our ideas and engage with diverse perspectives;

• align our work with clear, objective goals, such as enhancing business revenue;

• rely on data and avoid anchoring in initial ideas;

• recognize when personal biases, not actual needs, drive our decisions.

Quick look into Selective Perception

Selective Perception is a cognitive bias where individuals actively screen out information that contradicts their beliefs or expectations, focusing only on details that align with their personal viewpoints.

Think of it like applying a "filter" to your perception of reality, where you only see what you want to see. And this is not just theoretical! A study by Hastorf and Cantril (1954) showed that when students from two rival universities watched the same football game, they "saw" different events based on their loyalties. Similarly, in our IT world, software engineers might overlook potential issues in system they've created because they're focused on the parts they're proud of.

In summary, selective perception:

• often leads to an overly optimistic assessment of a project's status;

• for engineers, it can manifest in the form of overconfidence in certain technologies or methodologies.

They are similar, but not the same

Are you intrigued by how your mind filters and interprets information based on these biases? Discover more about how they shape our perceptions in my detailed article.

👉 Read the Full Insight Here

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