The Curse of UFB (User Familiarity Bias)

The Curse of UFB (User Familiarity Bias)

You’ve done it. You’ve designed the perfect new system. Sleek UI, smarter workflows, faster response times, fewer clicks, better everything. You ship it with pride.

And then…

“This new system is confusing.”
“Why did you change it?”
“The old one was fine.”
“Can I still use the old version?”

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Curse of UFB — User Familiarity Bias.

What Is User Familiarity Bias?

It’s that moment when users confuse comfort with usability.
They don’t actually dislike your new system — they just don’t know it yet. Humans are creatures of habit. If someone has spent 3 years mastering where every button, toggle, and “hacky workaround” lives, your shiny new design feels like you just rearranged their kitchen in the dark.

They don’t hate the system. They hate feeling like beginners again.

The “Old System Was Better” Myth

Let’s be honest — it wasn’t.
The old system probably required five steps for a one-step task, a reload after every click, and an Excel export to do anything meaningful.

But users were battle-hardened veterans of that chaos. They knew its quirks, its moods, and its “special buttons that only work if you click twice.”

When you launch something new, they lose that superpower. Suddenly, they’re novices again, and that feels like regression — not improvement.

So, they take revenge by saying, “this new system isn’t user-friendly.”

That’s UFB talking.

How to Break the Curse

You can’t fully stop UFB (it’s hardwired into human psychology), but you can tame it. Here’s how:

1. Don’t Just Redesign — Re-Onboard

If users have learned bad habits, you can’t assume they’ll unlearn them magically.
When you roll out a new system, treat it like a brand-new product launch:

• Run walkthroughs and demos.

• Add tooltips and “What’s New” highlights.

• Share short video explainers that show improvements in action.

Basically: reintroduce them to the tool they think they already know.

2. Communicate Early, Not After the Riot

Don’t let users wake up one morning to a completely new interface.
Start communicating before rollout. Show sneak peeks, share reasons for the change (“less clicks, faster processing”), and even run beta testing groups.

You’ll be surprised — some users will become early advocates and help calm the rest.

3. Frame It as a Level-Up, Not a Reset

People hate feeling like rookies, so make the upgrade sound like a power-up.
Highlight how their mastery of the old system gives them a head start.
Use copy like:

“You already know how to do this — here’s the faster way.”
“Your old workflow just got a turbo boost.”

Flattery works. Even for power users.

4. Keep Familiar Anchors

Don’t change everything at once. Maintain some recognizable icons, colors, or navigation structures to give users a sense of “home.”
Incremental evolution is easier to digest than a full metamorphosis.

When You Know Your Users Personally

Now, this is where it gets interesting — when the system you’re building serves a business where you actually know your users, like internal teams, loyal customers, or small-business clients.

The dynamic shifts. You’re not launching into the void — you’re facing real people who will WhatsApp you if the button moves an inch.

Here’s how to turn that to your advantage:

1. Turn Familiarity into Feedback

If you know your users, leverage that relationship. Run informal usability sessions, talk to them directly, let them vent, and listen.
When they complain that “this button used to be here,” don’t roll your eyes — ask why they clicked it there so often. Sometimes UFB hides real workflow insights.

2. Co-create the Upgrade

Make them part of the journey. Bring your “power users” into early testing, listen to their rants, and — occasionally — let them take credit for ideas.
When the new system goes live, they’ll proudly defend it like they built it themselves.

3. Communicate Like You’re Talking to Friends

Skip the jargon. Send fun, relatable updates:

“Hey fam, we just gave the dashboard a glow-up. No, your old shortcuts aren’t gone — they’ve evolved!”

When users feel like they’re in on the change, not subjected to it, UFB loses its sting.

Final Thought

Change always feels uncomfortable — especially when people were good at the old thing. As a PM, designer, or developer, you’ll always face that initial wave of resistance.

But remember:

Familiar doesn’t mean better. It just means known.

Your job isn’t just to build a better system — it’s to guide users through the discomfort of learning something new.

So the next time someone says, “the old system was better,” smile and say:

“You just haven’t leveled up yet.”