The Curse of Assumed Knowledge in Design
There’s a silent trap that catches all of us, no matter how experienced or well-meaning we are: assumed knowledge.
It's the invisible gap between what we know and what others don't — and it can quietly sabotage communication, leadership, teaching, design, and even simple conversations.
We assume because it feels efficient. Why re-explain something that’s "obvious"? Why spell out steps that seem like common sense? But here’s the thing: common sense isn’t common — it’s contextual. It’s built from personal experience, education, culture, and exposure. What’s second nature to you might be a foreign language to someone else.
When we assume knowledge, we don’t just risk confusing people — we risk alienating them. We make them feel small for not knowing something they were never taught. We slow down understanding and create barriers where there should have been bridges.
We see it everywhere.
In wayfinding, it looks like signage that makes sense only if you already know the building layout. If you have ever gotten lost in a hospital or convention center, you have felt the sting of assumed knowledge.
In digital interfaces, it shows up as buttons without labels, gestures without explanations, or navigation that only makes sense if you are familiar with similar apps.
In product packaging, it appears as instructions that skip critical steps or use jargon that only experienced users would understand. It could also be low contrast text that is too small for everyone to read.
The challenge is that once you know something, it becomes almost impossible to imagine not knowing it. This is why designers must deliberately step outside of their own experience. Testing with real users, walking the physical or digital path with fresh eyes, and asking simple questions like "What happens next?" or "Would this make sense without context?" can expose the gaps we no longer see.
Design is not just about making things beautiful. It is about making things understandable.
When we design with empathy for the newcomer, we create experiences that welcome rather than exclude.
When we recognize assumed knowledge for the trap it is, we move closer to the true goal of design: clarity, connection, and ease.