Laws of UX

Chunking

A cognitive strategy where information is grouped into manageable units to enhance memory retention and comprehension. Used in UX to organize content into digestible sections.

Chunking in UX Design: Bite-Sized Brilliance or Overcooked Strategy?

What Is Chunking? Chunking is a cognitive strategy derived from psychology, where information is grouped into manageable units (chunks) to enhance memory retention and comprehension. George A. Miller’s 1956 paper, “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two,” introduced this concept, highlighting the limitations of working memory, also known as

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Cognitive Load in UX Design: The Mental Gymnastics of User Experience

Imagine juggling flaming swords while reciting Shakespeare. That’s what navigating a poorly designed interface can feel like. Welcome to the world of cognitive load in UX design—a realm where every extra click, confusing label, or cluttered layout adds weight to the user’s mental backpack. What is Cognitive Load? Cognitive

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Doherty Threshold

A principle stating that productivity soars when computer-user interaction happens at a pace of less than 400 milliseconds, ensuring neither waits on the other.

The Doherty Threshold: UX Design’s 400ms Rule of Engagement

What Is the Doherty Threshold? The Doherty Threshold is a principle in human-computer interaction stating that productivity soars when a computer and its users interact at a pace (less than 400 milliseconds) that ensures neither has to wait on the other. This concept was introduced by Walter J. Doherty and

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Fitts's Law

A principle stating that the time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size (width) of the target. Crucial for designing interactive elements like buttons.

Fitts’s Law: Making UX Click

Introduction Ever tried clicking a tiny button on a mobile app and ended up opening something else? That’s Fitts’s Law in action—or rather, inaction. This principle, introduced by psychologist Paul Fitts in 1954, states that the time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and

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Goal Gradient effect

A psychological phenomenon where individuals accelerate their behavior as they approach a goal. Used in UX to motivate users to complete tasks with progress indicators and incentives.

The Goal Gradient Effect in UX: Motivation by Design

Introduction Ever found yourself furiously clicking through the final steps of an online checkout or obsessively completing your LinkedIn profile to reach that elusive “All-Star” status? Congratulations, you’ve been ensnared by the Goal Gradient Effect—a psychological phenomenon that fuels our drive as we inch closer to a goal. In

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Hick's Law

States that the time it takes for a person to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices available. Advocates for limiting options to reduce decision fatigue.

Hick’s Law in UX: The Fewer, the Merrier (Until It Isn’t)

Ah, Hick’s Law. The golden rule of don’t make me think… too hard. If you’ve ever stared blankly at a Netflix screen trying to decide what to watch, you’ve felt Hick’s Law in action. This concept also relates to reducing cognitive load in UX design.

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Jakob's Law

Posits that users prefer your site or app to work the same way as others they already know, relying on established mental models from past experiences.

Jakob’s Law: Why Your Users Don’t Want a Surprise Party

Imagine this. It’s 7:45 a.m. You’ve just rolled out of bed, bleary-eyed and caffeine-deprived. You open your favorite food delivery app to order that blessed iced coffee and croissant combo. But wait… the cart icon is missing. The menu is now a circular maze. The categories

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Law of Common Region

A Gestalt principle stating that elements enclosed within a common boundary (like a box or shaded area) are perceived as part of a group.

The Law of Common Region: UX Design’s Invisible Group Hug

Imagine you’re navigating a bustling city street, your eyes darting between colorful billboards, flashing neon signs, and the throngs of people. Despite the chaos, your brain effortlessly organizes the scene into distinct groups: pedestrians on the sidewalk, cars on the road, storefronts lining the street. This natural grouping helps you

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Law of Prägnanz

A cornerstone of Gestalt psychology stating that people will perceive and interpret ambiguous or complex images as the simplest form possible. Advocates for visual simplicity in design.

The Law of Prägnanz: Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication

You’re navigating a website, and suddenly, you’re bombarded with a cacophony of colors, buttons, and text. It’s like a digital jungle gym, and you’re not sure whether to click, scroll, or just run away screaming. Welcome to the world where the Law of Prägnanz is MIA. It’s a similar feeling

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Law of Proximity

A Gestalt principle stating that objects placed close to each other are perceived as a group, guiding users' understanding of spatial relationships between elements.

The Law of Proximity: UX’s Unsung Hero

You’re on a tight deadline, juggling multiple tasks, and you land on a website to find a crucial piece of information. But instead of clarity, you’re met with a chaotic layout—labels are distant from their fields, buttons are scattered, and nothing seems to belong anywhere. It’s like trying to

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Law of Similarity

A Gestalt principle stating that elements sharing visual characteristics (shape, color, size, etc.) are perceived as related or part of a group.

The Law of Similarity in UX Design: A Double-Edged Sword

Imagine you’re navigating an unfamiliar e-commerce website. The layout is chaotic: buttons vary in shape and color, product listings lack uniformity, and navigation elements are inconsistent. Frustrated, you abandon your cart and leave. This scenario underscores the importance of the Law of Similarity in UX design. Understanding the Law of

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Mental Models

Users' pre-existing beliefs and expectations about how something works, based on their past experiences. Jakob's Law emphasizes designing in alignment with these models.

Navigating the Maze of Mental Models in UX Design

Imagine you’re exploring a new city. You expect the streets to be labeled, the traffic lights to function, and the pedestrian crossings to be where they usually are. Now, imagine if the city decided to place traffic lights on the ground and pedestrian crossings on the rooftops. Confusing, right? This

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Miller's Law

Proposed that the average person can hold about 7 (plus or minus 2) items in their working memory. Applied in UX to limit items in lists, menus, etc., and for chunking.

Miller’s Law in UX: Why 7±2 Isn’t Just a Math Problem

Imagine you’re on a website, trying to find a specific product. The navigation menu lists 20 categories, each with multiple subcategories. You feel overwhelmed, unsure where to click, and eventually give up. This scenario illustrates the cognitive overload that Miller’s Law aims to prevent. Understanding Miller’s Law

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Occam's Razor

A principle suggesting that, when faced with competing explanations, the simplest one is usually the best. In UX, it means simplifying interfaces by removing redundant or unnecessary features.

Occam’s Razor in UX design

Imagine you’re designing a new app. You’ve brainstormed features, sketched wireframes, and now you’re staring at a cluttered interface that even you find confusing. It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack, where the haystack is on fire, and the needle is your user’s patience. What is Occam’s

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Pareto’s principle in UX design

Imagine you’re redesigning a travel booking app. You’re juggling countless features: flight search, hotel reservations, car rentals, travel insurance, user reviews, loyalty programs, and more. Your team is stretched thin, deadlines loom, and stakeholders are clamoring for results. Where do you focus your efforts? Enter the Pareto Principle, also known

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Parkinson's Law

States that "work expands to fill the time available for its completion." In UX project management, it highlights how time constraints can affect productivity and decision-making.

The UX Designer’s Dilemma: Parkinson’s Law in Action

Imagine this: You’re a UX designer tasked with revamping a mobile banking app. The deadline? A generous three months. You start with enthusiasm, but as weeks pass, meetings multiply, design iterations become endless, and perfectionism takes hold. Suddenly, the project stretches to six months, doubling the original timeline. Sound familiar?

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Peak-End Rule

A psychological principle stating that our memories of experiences are disproportionately influenced by the most emotionally intense point (the peak) and the final part (the end) of the experience.

The Peak-End Rule in UX: Designing Memorable Experiences

Imagine you’re navigating a new app. The onboarding is seamless, the interface intuitive, and you’re impressed. But just as you’re about to complete a task, the app crashes. Despite the earlier positive experience, this final hiccup leaves a sour taste. This scenario exemplifies the Peak-End Rule, a psychological principle suggesting

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Postel's Law

Also known as the Robustness Principle, it suggests that systems should "be conservative in what you do, be liberal in what you accept from others." In UX, it means designing systems that handle

Lost in Translation? Let’s Talk Postel’s Law in UX

Imagine you’re filling out an online form to book a flight. You enter your phone number as “123-456-7890,” your birthdate as “17/02/2025,” and your email as “john.doe@gmail.com.” You hit submit, and... error messages pop up like whack-a-moles. The form demands ”(123) 456-7890,” “02/17/2025,

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Selective Attention

The cognitive ability to focus on specific stimuli while filtering out others. UX designers use this to guide user focus towards important elements.

Selective Attention in UX: The Art of Guiding Focus

Imagine you’re at a bustling party, trying to catch up with an old friend. Amidst the clinking glasses and overlapping conversations, you manage to focus solely on their voice. This phenomenon, known as the “cocktail party effect,” is a classic example of selective attention—our brain’s ability to focus on

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Serial Position Effect

A phenomenon where items presented at the beginning (Primacy Effect) and end (Recency Effect) of a sequence are more easily remembered than those in the middle.

The Serial Position Effect: Wielding Memory in UX Design

Imagine you’re at a party meeting new people. By the end of the night, you can effortlessly recall the names of the first few people you met and the last few conversations you had, but that middle section? It’s a blur of faces and forgotten names. That’s not a social

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Tessler's Law

States that for any system, there is a certain amount of complexity which cannot be reduced. It must be dealt with, either by the user or the system. Often handled with appropriate defaults.

Tessler’s Law: The Hidden Art of User Experience Balance

Imagine this: You’re redesigning a complex financial app. The stakeholders want it to be comprehensive yet simple, powerful yet intuitive. You’ve spent weeks crafting the perfect interface, only to watch users struggle during testing. Despite your best efforts, something’s off. The balance feels wrong. You’ve just encountered the invisible force

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Von Restorff Effect

Also known as the "isolation effect," it predicts that an item that stands out from its peers will be more likely to be remembered. Used in UX to make key elements visually distinctive.

The Von Restorff Effect: A UX Designer’s Guide to Strategic Differentiation

Imagine you’re scanning through a grocery list: milk, eggs, bread, DRAGON FRUIT, butter, coffee, sugar. Which item are you most likely to remember later? If you said “dragon fruit,” you’ve just witnessed the Von Restorff Effect at work in your own mind. What is the Von Restorff Effect? The Von

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Zeigarnik Effect

A psychological principle stating that people remember uncompleted tasks better than completed ones. Used in UX to motivate users to finish processes with progress indicators and saved states.

The Zeigarnik Effect: Leveraging Unfinished Tasks in UX Design

Imagine yourself browsing an e-commerce site, adding items to your cart, but before completing your purchase, you’re distracted by a notification. Hours later, that unfinished transaction lingers in your mind, gently nudging you to return and complete it. This psychological phenomenon isn’t coincidence—it’s the Zeigarnik Effect in action. What

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