​​TECHNOLOGY MYTHS AND URBAN LEGENDS
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Summary: When users don’t clearly understand how systems function, they develop unique (and often incorrect) theories to explain their experiences.

Frequently in user research, we hear people describe how they think technology works. Sometimes those theories are accurate, but most often they are not. Through the many user interviews, field studies, and user testing sessions that we’ve conducted for Nielsen Norman Group’s Life Online project, we heard many technology-related myths.
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Technology myth: An (often inaccurate) user-generated theory about how a system functions, based on personal perceptions or second-hand experiences rather than any true understanding of the system’s functionality.

We also observed how these myths impact user behavior and spread from user to user, effectively becoming urban legends.

HOW TECHNOLOGY MYTHS IMPACT USER BEHAVIOR

Users’ beliefs (accurate or inaccurate) about a system form their mental model: their unique, internal understanding of how that system works. That mental model influences the actions the user will take in the system.

When the user’s mental model is substantially different from the reality of the system, UX problems arise. Thus, these technology myths and urban legends, while interesting, can be harmful. Consider the examples above:

✨ Removing the text entered in every form submitted online is a waste of time and a reason to avoid filling out forms on the web.
✨ Avoiding one channel for fear of increased prices means more planning and less convenience.
✨ Switching devices for the same flight search means extra work entering the same information twice.

In all these situations, the end result is a high interaction cost: people need to plan and spend effort getting around the (real or imaginary) hurdles raised in front of them by these myths.

HOW TO DISPEL TECHNOLOGY MYTHS

Most technology myths fall into one of three categories.

⚡️ System-specific: A myth developed specifically about your product or a feature in your UI (e.g., the flight price recommendations on Kayak.com)
⚡️ Industry-specific: A myth developed about your industry or larger product type (e.g., airlines)
⚡️ Universal: A myth that applies across products and industries, and that usually relates to some basic element (e.g., form fields)

While researching your users and evaluating your products, watch out for system-specific technology myths. Investigate whether it’s a belief unique to an individual user or is a widespread urban legend. Look for other clues as well: Does the feature generate a lot of questions for your support team or on social media? If so, it’s a good indication that your users are confused about how it works and will come up with their own explanations.

If you find a technology myth in your research, consider what it says about your product. If the myth is harmful to your interaction design, change how you communicate that feature to users and show explanation messages to clarify how your system works.

In many cases, it’s better to hide the complexity and show only what users need to know, to avoid confusion. However, the existence of technology myths or urban legends can be a clue that more explicit communication with your users is needed.

Industry-specific and universal technology myths are more difficult to detect and correct than system-specific myths. These are behaviors and misinterpretations that users picked up from their experiences with other systems. However, all technology myths arise from a lack of understanding. Being aware of these misunderstandings and clarifying through communication is the best approach to counteract any technology myth.
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#design #efficiency #product #psychology #sociology #technology #trends #ux