It's one reason so much marketing looks copy-cat.
Design fixation—also known as the Einstellung Effect—refers to our tendency to rely blindly on old solutions, and insist our first idea is always the best.
Fortunately, novices are more susceptible to design fixation than old hands, studies show.
How can you free yourself?
Jami Oetting, writing for Hubspot, suggests five antidotes:
Fortunately, novices are more susceptible to design fixation than old hands, studies show.
How can you free yourself?
Jami Oetting, writing for Hubspot, suggests five antidotes:
- Immerse yourself in new subjects. Escape your marketing bubble and reach for far-afield ideas. Learn a little about voles, snow-sports, fire protection, Washington Irving, and Czarist Russia.
- Work with others. Diversity in experiences, expertise and cultural background and can stimulate fresh thinking.
- Review previous solutions. Peer reviews will expose biases and flaws faster than anything. They force you to look at your ideas with iron-cold eyes.
- Analyze and brainstorm. Generating more ideas helps assure an innovative one will emerge.
- Test. Gather feedback from focus groups and A/B experiments.
