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Read more about the article 40 • Iceberg Model
Iceberg Model

40 • Iceberg Model

  • Post author:hitchhiker
  • Post category:The Productivity Mirage

The Iceberg Model is a systems thinking tool that helps uncover the root causes of problems by looking beyond immediate, visible events. It uses the metaphor of an iceberg to illustrate that events (the tip) are driven by deeper layers that are hidden below the surface.

Continue Reading40 • Iceberg Model

About the Author

Michael Gaigg is a UX designer, design educator, and creative technologist known for transforming complex design principles into clear, approachable, and often humorous stories.

He leads a multi-disciplinary design team (UX, UI, cartography, engineering) and teaches UX/UI principles across digital platforms—including spatial mapping tools, dashboards, and custom app experiences.

His work blends creativity, clarity, and delight, pushing design education beyond formalism and into the realm of relatable metaphors.

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More Patterns:

  • 46 • Streisand Effect
  • 45 • Diderot Effect
  • 44 • Red Herring
  • 43 • Breadcrumbs
  • 42 • Murphy’s Law
  • 41 • Kitchen Sink
  • 40 • Iceberg Model
  • 39 • Swiss Cheese Model
  • 38 • AI Oracle Effect
  • 37 • Cobra Effect
  • The Executive Seagull Effect in action
  • 36 • Hick’s Law
  • 35 • Recency Bias
  • 34 • Primacy Bias
  • 33 • Anchoring Bias
  • 32 • Confirmation Bias
  • 31 • Sunk Cost Fallacy
  • 30 • Broken Windows UX
  • 29 • HiPPO
  • 28 • Canary Release
  • 27 • UX Theater
  • 26 • Design by Committee
  • 25 • False Consensus Effect
  • 24 • Sad Path
  • 23 • Happy Path
  • 22 • Dogfooding
  • 21 • Executive Seagull Effect
  • 20 • A/B Cemetery
  • 19 • Wizard of Oz Testing
  • 18 • Pogo Sticking
  • 17 • Whack-a-Mole
  • 16 • Design Debt
  • 15 • Paving the Cow Path
  • 14 • Sandbagging
  • 13 • Rubber Ducking
  • 12 • Bike Shedding
  • 11 • Yak Shaving
  • 10 • Uncanny Valley
  • 09 • Dark Forest UX
  • 08 • Empty Fridge Syndrome
  • 07 • Lorem Ipsum Trap
  • 06 • Frankenstein Design
  • 05 • Pixel Peeping
  • 04 • Cargo Cult UX
  • 03 • Dribbblization
  • 02 • Mullet UI
  • 01 • Lipstick on a Pig
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design" eBook (36 patterns, 164 pages, instant download)

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to Design" eBook (36 patterns, 164 pages, instant download)

Instant download of the eBook, 164 pages including the first 36 design idioms describing their origins, pitfalls, and possible solutions

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