Tips to Avoid Confirmation Bias in Product Management

There was a time where I unknowingly sought out information that reinforced my existing beliefs, dismissing anything that didn’t fit my narrative. This bias wasn’t just a personal blind spot, it impacted my ability to lead effectively and stunted innovation within my team. To break free from this trap, I implemented a few key strategies: 💡 Question Everything: Instead of accepting initial conclusions, I now challenge them. Asking “What if the opposite were true?” forces me to consider alternative outcomes that I might have missed. 💡 Create Psychological Safety: I encourage people around me to voice dissenting opinions without fear of repercussions. By fostering an environment where different perspectives are valued, I gain a more complete picture before making decisions. 💡 Leverage Contradictory Evidence: I actively seek out data and opinions that contradict my assumptions. This practice forces me to re-evaluate my stance and often leads to more robust solutions. 💡 Check Assumptions: Before any decision, I list out all the assumptions I’m making and scrutinize them. This helps me to uncover potential biases that could skew the outcome. 💡 Slow Down: In moments of pressure, it’s tempting to rush decisions. I’ve learned to pause and take the time to ensure that all relevant information is considered, and biases are checked. 💡 Feedback Loops: After a decision is made, I solicit feedback from my team and other stakeholders to understand if and how confirmation bias may have influenced the process. This feedback helps refine our approach for the future. By consciously challenging my own thinking, I’ve made better, more informed decisions that drive real progress. What strategies have you found effective in overcoming confirmation bias in your decisions? ---------- Hey, I'm Kevin, I am the founder of KEVRA: The Culture Company and provide daily posts and insights to help transform organizational culture and leadership. ➡️ Follow for more ♻️ Repost to share with others (or save for later) 🔗 Ask about KEVRA Consulting to learn more about how we can help you transform your organizational culture and climate

Stop nodding and start clarifying. Every vague answer is a new risk waiting to explode. I learned this the hard way. Earlier in my career I was quick to move on when someone said “this looks alright.” I thought being a good PM meant moving things along. Eventually, I saw what 'looked alright' grow into big problems that cost time, energy and money. Projects don’t go off track because people lack skills, but because of our habit of filling gaps in understanding with assumptions. It’s easy to think everyone is on the same page. We assume stakeholders understand risks, that team members know what their priorities are, and that clients agree with our approach. But every time we assume, we set ourselves up for confusion and wasted effort down the road. Now, I take three steps to avoid these hidden problems: (1) I repeat back what I hear, in my own words. I wait for confirmation. (2) I ask clear follow-up questions, even if it’s uncomfortable. A little discomfort now saves a ton of energy later. "When you say ASAP, what's the latest date you need this delivered?" "What specifically doesn't look right to you?" (3) I pause and dig deeper. I keep the conversation focused until the gap has been addressed. An underappreciated aspect of the PM job is to build trust between the functional and technical teams. Doing that means being willing to surface the awkward gaps in understanding. That’s how we keep projects healthy. #projectmanagement #changemanagement #culture ___________ If this post resonated, you learned something, found it interesting, or I challenged your perspective and you'd like to keep the conversation going, feel free to follow or connect. I welcome new connections and perspectives. I write about the messy, human side of project and change management 2-3x a week, and occasionally share my thoughts on AI.

With research teams shrinking from layoffs, PMs are now expected to do more with less. But without the right approach, PM-led session replays can lead to false insights. Here are the 4 costly mistakes to avoid for real progress: – 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 Even experienced teams can fall into these traps. Here’s how to steer clear of them. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟭 - 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽 ➔ What it is Confirmation bias happens when we unknowingly seek out evidence that supports our assumptions. It’s easy to go into session replays with a pre-formed theory about what users will do. ➔ What happens Instead of observing objectively, we end up interpreting every click and pause as “proof” of our theory. ➔ How to fix it Watch sessions with other team members who bring fresh perspectives and uncover what’s really happening. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟮 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 ➔ What it is The assumption that only large-scale patterns or trends are meaningful. The classic “But it’s just one user!” trap. ➔ What happens Valuable insights are overlooked simply because they come from one or two users instead of thousands. ➔ How to fix it Focus on depth, not numbers. A single user’s struggle can reveal a critical friction point. Treat each session as a deep dive into the user experience. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟯 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸-𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ➔ What it is Product teams are naturally drawn to solving problems, so when we see an issue in a session replay, we want to fix it right away. ➔ What happens By jumping to a solution too quickly, we might miss underlying patterns or broader issues that would have become clearer with a bit more patience. ➔ How to fix it Slow down and watch at least three more sessions before you act. This will give you a better sense of whether you require a more strategic fix. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟰 - 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 ➔ What it is Session replays are only as valuable as the data they capture. Small but essential interactions, like mouse movements, and scroll patterns can reveal a lot about user friction. ➔ What happens If these details aren’t captured, you’re left with an incomplete picture of the user’s journey, missing key friction points. ➔ How to fix it Double-check that your session replay tool is configured to capture all critical interactions. – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 The future of product management is about combining quantitative insights, qualitative depth (session replays - using tools like LogRocket), direct feedback (user research), and predictive foresight (AI). – If you want to stay ahead of the curve with advanced techniques and strategies for product management and career growth... Check out the newsletter.