Home Theories Parkinson's Law

Parkinson's Law

Reviewed by expert Scientifically proven

Parkinson's Law is a cognitive bias that suggests that work expands to fill the time allocated for it. This means that if you give yourself a whole day to complete a task, you will likely take the whole day to finish it, even if the task could have been done in just a few hours. This bias can be applied in various settings, including project management and time management. By understanding Parkinson's Law, individuals can become more productive and efficient with their time by setting realistic deadlines and prioritizing tasks.

Table of contents:
  1. Setting Deadlines for Users
  2. Breaking Up Forms
  3. Conclusion

Sure, here is a brief explanation of Parkinson's Law and how it applies to Conversion Rate Optimization:

Parkinson's Law is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency people have to fill the time they have available to complete a task. This means that the more time people have to perform a task, the longer it will take them to complete it.

In the context of Conversion Rate Optimization, Parkinson's Law can be a hindrance to increasing conversions. If a marketer or developer gives too much time for users to complete an action, they may take longer to do so or delay it altogether.

To combat this, it is important to set deadlines for users to complete actions on a website. For example, if a user has added an item to their cart, remind them that the item will only be reserved for a limited time and encourage them to complete the checkout process before the product is released to other customers.

Another way to utilize Parkinson's Law is by breaking up a long form into smaller, more manageable sections. By providing users with small tasks that can be completed quickly, they are more likely to engage with the form and complete it in a timely manner.

In sum, Parkinson's Law can be a powerful tool for optimizing website conversions if used correctly. By setting deadlines and breaking up larger tasks into smaller ones, marketers and developers can encourage users to take action in a timely manner and improve overall conversion rates.

Here is the markdown format of the blog post:

Parkinson's Law and Conversion Rate Optimization

Parkinson's Law is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency people have to fill the time they have available to complete a task. This means that the more time people have to perform a task, the longer it will take them to complete it.

In the context of Conversion Rate Optimization, Parkinson's Law can be a hindrance to increasing conversions. If a marketer or developer gives too much time for users to complete an action, they may take longer to do so or delay it altogether.

Setting Deadlines for Users

To combat the negative effects of Parkinson's Law on website conversions, it is important to set deadlines for users to complete actions on a website. For example, if a user has added an item to their cart, remind them that the item will only be reserved for a limited time and encourage them to complete the checkout process before the product is released to other customers.

Breaking Up Forms

Another way to utilize Parkinson's Law to increase conversions is by breaking up a long form into smaller, more manageable sections. By providing users with small tasks that can be completed quickly, they are more likely to engage with the form and complete it in a timely manner.

Conclusion

In sum, Parkinson's Law can be a powerful tool for optimizing website conversions if used correctly. By setting deadlines and breaking up larger tasks into smaller ones, marketers and developers can encourage users to take action in a timely manner and improve overall conversion rates.

A new cognitive bias in your inbox every week

You'll get to learn more about CRO and psychology. You'll be able to take experimenting to a whole new level!

* We send our mails on Monday morning btw.

Will you use psychology for your experimentation process?

Are you curious about how to apply this bias in experimentation? We've got that information available for you!

Join over 452+ users

  • Lifetime access to all biases
  • Filter on metrics, page type, implementation effort
  • More examples and code for experimentation

Choose your subscription!

Pay with Stripe

Lifetime deal PREMIUM

Get access to the search engine, filter page, and future features.

€499.00
I want this

Lifetime deal

Get access to the search engine and filter page.

€149.00
I want this

Do you think you know enough about CRO?

Join our monthly mailing to continue learning more and more about CRO and psychology.