Bias recognition

Biases are unconscious preferences and assumptions that affect team decisions and interactions. These mental shortcuts can impact hiring, project assignments, idea evaluation, and daily collaboration in ways that limit team potential and innovation. Common workplace biases include confirmation bias (seeking information that confirms existing beliefs), affinity bias (preferring people similar to ourselves), and status quo bias (favoring familiar approaches). Technical teams often face specific biases like technology preferences or platform favoritism that can hinder objective decision-making.

Mitigating bias requires systematic approaches and structured decision-making processes:

• Pre-commit to evaluation criteria: For example, decide on key metrics (like project impact or technical feasibility) before reviewing proposals, preventing decisions based on personal preferences.
• Rotate roles: Have different team members lead meetings or projects to prevent the same voices dominating decisions.
• Use structured formats: When brainstorming, use a template for everyone to present ideas, ensuring equal consideration.
• Challenge the status quo: If the team always follows a set process, don’t hesitate to challenge it by exploring new methods or tools.
• Seek diverse perspectives: Before a major decision, actively ask for input from team members with different backgrounds or expertise to broaden the discussion.