So, you’re a Business Analyst. You know how to elicit requirements and analyse them. You are objective about your stakeholders’ needs, understand the project scope, can determine the cost benefit and still things don’t turn out as expected. It could be down to Cognitive Bias.
Why aren’t people coming up with new ideas in your workshops? Perhaps it’s the bandwagon bias.
Why is estimating seen as a black art? Blame the planning fallacy and optimism bias.
This session will draw on new ideas coming from fields of psychology, neuroscience and behavioural economics and apply them to Business Analysis. We’ll look at ways to overcome biases and help counter the natural tendencies of our brains.
6. Is this it?
Too Much
Information
We notice things
already in memory
We find things
that match our
beliefs
Funny or odd
things stick out
We spot the
changes
7. Is this it?
Too Much
Information
Not Enough
Meaning
We find stories
and patterns
We simplify
numbers and
probabilities
We assume
things we like
are better
We stereotype
8. Is this it?
Too Much
Information
Need to Act
Fast
Not Enough
Meaning
We continue
with things we
have started
We prefer the
thing we see
first
We do what
we feel is
important
We pick simple
solutions
9. Is this it?
Too Much
Information
Need to Act
Fast
What Should
We
Remember?
Not Enough
Meaning
We store
memories by how
we experienced
them
We reduce
things to key
elements
We edit some
memories after
the fact
We generalise
11. Find the pattern
I have a number pattern in mind. I
want you to guess it.
I will give you 3 numbers that fit.
To help, you can give me another 3
numbers that you think fit and I
will tell you if they do!
12. Confirmation Bias is
….. the tendency to search for, interpret, favour, and recall information in
a way that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses.
13. Is this it?
Too Much
Information
We find things
that match our
beliefs
27. Cognitive biases are most likely to affect you when
• You have too much information
• You need to act fast
• You don’t know what you should remember
• There isn’t enough meaning
28. www.blueraccoon.co.uk
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@Liz Calder
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizcalder/
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Unbiasing
How cognitive bias affects
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