Smart Defaults
Making space for high impact decisions
Restaurant menus are overwhelming. Forced with make sense of their barrage information in a hungry state, the complexity is made worse. A mix of unique names, unconventional categories, and lengthy descriptions, it’s no wonder we still need more time after the servers third trip to the table. The struggle intensifies when trying a new dietary regiment or restrictions.
Reduce your decisions
If you want to make healthier choices, try focusing exclusively on the salad section. Ignoring the noise of other menu items, the decision is immediately clearer. This single behavior actually takes hundreds of other options off the table.
In software, smart defaults present a standard set of preselected options. Without having to make a decision, a good choice has been made for you. Of course you can change it but even if you don’t, you are still covered. These defaults simplify behaviors and allow customers to get the most value with the least amount of effort or frustration.
In business, it’s by best practices and processes exist. Making the decision once ensures consistent results and simplifies the effort needed in the future.
In our personal lives, there are thousands of decisions to make each day. Reducing the number of lower value decisions can make sure we have the mental bandwidth for higher impact opportunities. Whether simplifying a schedule, outfit, or routine choices, committing to standard choice ahead of time will reduce the cognitive load in the moment.
