Aesthetic-Usability Effect §
More aesthetically pleasing products are perceived as more intuitive to use than those that are not.
If the design has a few flaws, hide it with aesthetics. Conversely, during prototyping, strip away aesthetics since these can conceal core design problems.
Doherty Threshold §
If a response appears after
Increase productivity and maintain attention with responsive interfaces (i.e.,
The illusion of “responsiveness” is enough. For example, using animations or any form of visible progress .
Add a delay to make the process seem important and non-trivial.
Fitt’s Law §
The time required to rapidly move to a target area is a function between the distance to the target and the width of the target.
Targets (i.e., clickable or tappable areas) should be big enough and have sufficient spacing between them.
Goal Gradient Effect §
As people get closer to a reward, they speeds up their behavior to get to their goal faster.
Provide artificial progress to ensure users have motivation to complete the task.
Have some form of visible progress.
Hick’s Law §
Increasing the number of choices increases the decision time logarithmically.
Reduce the number of choices or their complexities in order to reduce cognitive load.
Do not overwhelm a new user by giving them more options or stimuli.
Jakob’s Law §
Most users spend their time on other apps. Thus, they expect apps to work similarly to each other.
Not only can expectations be transferred, but so can learned mental models for as long as the designer exploits these mental models.
Change to a novel system should be gradual .
Law of Common Region §
Items within a boundary are perceived to be as part of a group.
Establish a common region to establish a clear hierarchy or structure for the user’s convenience.
The simplest way to achieve a common region is through a border or a well-defined background
Law of Proximity §
Objects that are near each other tend to be grouped together
Use the proximity (conceptual or physical) of objects to establish if they are related in some way.
The proximity of elements should be kept in mind when structuring the design. Closer elements should function similarly.
Proximity facilitates in the quick creation of mental models.
Law of Pragnanz §
Ambiguous elements are interpreted in the simplest, easier manner possible — the one that requires the least cognitive effort.
Simplicity is favored because it prevents cognitive overload. We are more likely to remember simple figures than complex ones because we simplify these shapes .
Law of Similarity §
Elements are perceived as part of a group if they are similar, regardless of other factors.
Similar elements are perceived as related. Dissimilar elements are perceived as unrelated.
Elements that are connected to each other are perceived as a single unit when compared to other unlinked elements
Another way to achieve groupings of functionalities is through visual connections.
Connections emphasize relationships between objects.
Miller’s Law §
The average person can only hold short term memory .
Note that
Chunk pieces of the design into something easily processed.
Occam’s Razor §
All other things equal, Hypotheses that require fewer assumptions are preferred to those that require more.
Avoid unnecessary complexity by rejecting unnecessary assumptions.
Aim for a minimal design — one where everything is essential and nothing can be removed.
Pareto Principle §
For many cases, roughly
Inputs and outputs are not evenly distributed.
There is an inherent asymmetry in the contribution of all causes. A few causes will contribute a lot.
Parkinson’s Law §
The duration of a task expands to fill the allotted time span.
Limit the time to complete a task to be more productive.
In the context of design, match time constraints with the user’s expectations for time constraints.
Prevent task inflation through automating some of the tedious work.
Peak-End Rule §
An experience is judged based only on its peak and its end, rather than the total sum or average of every moment of the experience.
The most important points in an experience are its highs and its ending.
Remember that negative experiences leave a more lasting impression than positive ones.
See also Extension Neglect for more like this
Postel’s Law §
Serial Position Effect §
It is easier to recall information that is at the beginning or end of a series; It is harder to recall information about the middle.
When making a list, place the least important items in the middle. Place the most important items at the beginning and at the end. The most impactful item should be at the end by the Peak-End Rule .
Tesler’s Law §
Every application has an inherent amount of complexity that cannot be removed or hidden. Instead, it must be addressed through product development or user interaction.
To make the design more usable, make the user have to deal with less of the underlying complexity (however not to the point of over-abstraction).
Von Restorff Effect §
When multiple homogeneous stimuli are present, the stimulus that differs from the rest is more likely to be remembered.
Highlight key information — make them more distinctive.
However, do not overdo highlighting information because it defeats the purpose. This ensures maximum saliency.
Zeigarnik Effect §
An activity that has been interrupted is more readily recalled.
Motivate users through visible indicators of progress or even artificial progress.
Signify additional content to motivate content discovery.
Links §