Are Your Devs Suffering from Confirmation Bias?

With the need for custom software and originally-built systems being a necessity in today’s business landscape, finding the right developer or development company for your business is vital. Not only are there a number of key factors to consider when looking for the right personnel, but also whether they operate efficiently. A common problem with many devs is the tendency to suffer from confirmation bias; and we’re going to break down how to spot this and what the remedies are.

In psychology, confirmation bias is the idea that a you’ll source or follow information which aligns with your previously-existing belief or stance. The reason to be concerned confirmation bias in developers is that it can hamper and effect the efficiency and production of the development you need, which in turn, affects cost and profits.

Unless your business or work is associated with an open-source project, charity or government, developers should have one priority above all others: build a product that drives revenue to the business. While that should be the case, some developers have a tendency to pick preference over profit, aligning with what framework is popular, what theory governs the coding style, or what technology they believe is best. This can sway from something as trivial as Mac vs. Windows, or something more pivotal, such as the coding language which is best; however, the cost impact can be huge.

By following a few simple rules, developers or business leaders will be able to get the most out of their devs without the risk of confirmation bias swaying the process:

Find people who will challenge your ideas

Coordinating your development goals with the sales team is a good start, as, typically, sales teams are good at focusing on the singular goal of making money. Of course, sales biases exist too, but ask yourself this question: “Is the current development process going to make the company more money?” If the answer is no, then you need to justify the work and decisions.

Avoid anchoring yourself in your ideas

The one constant is change, so ensure that you are being flexible and adaptable enough to adjust your business idea or way of working.  If you find yourself continually searching for evidence to justify your business or development decisions, you might be searching for evidence to confirm your own biases.

Use the data

Statistics and studies are there for a reason – use them. Look at various studies, statistics, and research documents to build your decision-making process, not the other way around. So, if one coding language or style of development has proven to be the most cost-efficient time and time again, perhaps take that information on board.

If you need further guidance, technical skills, and an objective perspective to analyse and help develop your custom software project, My Online Presence can help.

If you’ve been considering having your own software developed and you’re looking for a team that embodies all these essential factors, then you should give My Online Presence a call. Their team is well-versed in the development process and can help anyone make their digital dream a reality!