Designing for Humans – The Essence of UX Principles in Modern Design
In the field of design, UX is not just an art, it’s science. Guided by certain laws and principles, UX specialists create user friendly interfaces, improving users’ interaction with the digital infrastructure. Neglecting UX principles can harm user satisfaction, damage brand reputation, hinder business growth, and result in legal and financial repercussions. Investing in good UX design not only benefits users but also contributes significantly to the success and sustainability of a business. On this journey we will discover the complexity of these laws by examining concepts such as Hick’s Law or Fitts’ Law. Let’s begin.
1. Jacob’s Law
Users prefer all sites to work the same way
Users spend their time on many other websites and, as a result, prefer each site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know.
Jakob’s Law emphasizes the importance of designing user interfaces in a familiar and intuitive way. Users have certain expectations based on their experiences with other websites or applications, and they are more likely to engage with a one that aligns with these expectations. Designing interfaces that follow established conventions and common design patterns helps users navigate websites and applications more easily because they already know how similar elements work on other platforms.
2. Fitt’s Law
The time to acquire the target is a function of the distance to and size of the target
Fitt’s Law suggests that the time required to reach a target is proportional to the distance to the target and inversely proportional to the target’s size.
This means that larger targets are easier and faster to click or select than smaller targets, especially when using a pointing device like a mouse or a touchscreen.
Designers often apply Fitt’s Law by making critical interactive elements, such as buttons, larger and more accessible. This concept is particularly relevant in the design of websites and mobile applications.
3. Hick’s Law
The time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices available
Hick’s Law emphasises the importance of simplicity and minimalism in design. It suggests that reducing the number of choices or options presented to users can improve the speed and efficiency of decision making process with less cognitive effort.
It is similar to Occam’s Razor principle which says that among competing hypotheses that predict equally well, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected
This is also known as the principle of simplicity, is a problem-solving and scientific principle that suggests that when there are multiple competing hypotheses to explain a phenomenon, the simplest and most straightforward explanation is usually the correct one. In other words, among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected until evidence proves it wrong.
When designing user interfaces, adhering to the principle of Occam’s Razor means keeping the design as simple as possible. Unnecessary elements, complex navigation, or redundant features should be eliminated. A clean and intuitive design reduces cognitive load on users, making it easier for them to engage with the product or service.
4. Miller’s Law
The average person can keep only 7 +/- items in their working memory
This concept was introduced by cognitive psychologist George A. Miller in 1956 – “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information.”
Miller’s Law states that people can only process a limited amount of information at a given time. When designing user interfaces, this principle is crucial. If you present users with too many options at once, it may overload their working memory, leading to confusion and reduced usability.
Designers often apply Miller’s Law by organising information into chunks that make it easier for users to process and remember
For instance, phone numbers are usually divided into groups, such as XXXX-XXX-XXX, to make them easier to be remembered. What is easier to remember ? 2519871983 or 2519-871-983 ?
5. Postel’s Law
Be conservative in what you do, but be liberal in what you accept from others
Postel’s Law states: “Be conservative in what you send, be liberal in what you accept.” This law is also known as the Robustness Principle, a fundamental principle in software design and network communication. When designing protocols or systems, you should be strict and precise in what you send (output), ensuring that it conforms to the specifications and standards.
On the other hand, when receiving data from users (input), your system should be flexible and tolerant, capable of accepting a wide variety of inputs and interpreting them as accurately as possible, even if they deviate from the standard to some extent. The law has found its application in web design as well.
Look at some examples:
Input Validation
When designing web forms, be liberal in accepting user input. Validate user input on the server-side, but be flexible with minor formatting variations. For example, allow users enter their phone number in the form as 1234567 or 123-4567 or 1234-567. Provide clear and helpful error messages when users provide invalid input. Don’t assume you only have UK users. Don’t limit cell phone numbers to 10 digits or force 10 digits. Allow users skip 0 on the front etc.
Content Presentation
If your website displays user-generated content, be liberal in accepting different types of media (images, videos, text formats). Provide guidelines for users to follow, but be able to handle a variety of content formats gracefully.
Ensure Accessibility
Be liberal in accommodating different user behaviours and preferences. For instance, allow users to customize their experience, such as adjusting font size, colour schemes, or other accessibility features.
Read also Neglected Aspects of Visual Branding
6. Peak-end Rule
People judge an experience based on how they felt at its peak and at its end, rather than the average of the entire experience.
People judge an experience based on how they felt at its peak (the most intense or significant moment) and at its end, rather than the average of the entire experience.
For example, if a user has a frustrating moment while using an app, and if the experience ends on a positive note, they are more likely to have a positive overall perception of the app, even if they faced issues earlier.
Designers need to correctly identify the peak moments during user interactions. These moments can be positive (successfully completing a single step from the group of tasks and receiving positive feedback) – that’s great, but it can also be negative (encountering an error, being unable to complete that step and go further).
The way an interaction ends is also crucial. This could involve providing positive feedback and ensuring a smooth and clear exit from the interaction area. It should also include a confirmation sent to user email.
Interesting, but the peak-end rule implies that the duration of the experience is not as important as the peak and end. This means that even if the entire experience is longer, users are more likely to remember it positively if it ends well and has positive peak moments.
7. Aesthetic-usability effect
Users often perceive aesthetically pleasing design as one that’s more usable
This is a psychologically interesting that people perceive more aesthetically pleasing designs as more usable, even if they are not necessarily more efficient or functional.
Aesthetic appeal is especially important with the initial interaction with a product. When users encounter a well-designed interface, they are more likely to form positive first impressions that will influence their overall attitude and satisfaction even if they encounter usability issues later.
Make your design appealing, but do not forget about real usability.
8. Von Restorff Effect
When multiple similar objects are present, the one that differs from the rest is most likely to be remembered
The Von Restorff effect has significant implications in various fields, including advertising, marketing, and education. In advertising and marketing, companies often use distinctive elements to make their products or advertisements stand out in order to increase memorability among consumers.
9. Tesler’s Law
It is also knows as the law of essential complexity. That law states that for any system there is a certain amount of complexity that cannot be reduced
The pioneering computer scientist Lawrence Tesler has invented ctrl+x ctrl+c ctrl-v commands, making the process as simple as possible. Even the keys on the keyboard are placed close to each other. How can you simplify it more? You can’t. This serves as an illustration of the essential complexity of the process that cannot be reduced.
Each application possesses a fundamental level of complexity that cannot be simplified more, regardless of the approach or methodology used in its development. Rather, it must be addressed, either during product development or in the user interaction process.
Simplifying a complex system too much can lead to the loss of essential information. Important nuances, interactions, or dependencies might be overlooked, leading to an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of the system.
10. Serial Position Effect
Users have a propensity to best remember the first and last items in a series
Is a psychological phenomenon that refers to the tendency of people to recall items from a list in a specific order based on their position in the list. This effect was first identified by the psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus and has since been widely studied and confirmed in various experiments.
There are two main components of the serial position effect:
Primacy effect: Refers to the tendency to remember items at the top of a list better. The primacy effect is thought to occur because items at the top of the list have a longer duration in short-term memory, allowing for a better transition to long-term memory.
Recency effect: Refers to the tendency to remember items at the end of a list better. The recency effect is thought to occur because the items at the end of the list are still present in short-term memory when recall is tested.
The middle items on a list are often the least remembered because they are not as strongly represented in either short-term or long-term memory.
The serial position effect has many practical implications in various situations, such as advertising (the placement of products in a list).
11. Zeigarnik Effect
People remember uncompleted/interrupted tasks better than completed tasks
This effect is named after Bluma Zeigarnik, a psychologist who noticed this phenomenon while dining in a restaurant in the 1920s. She observed that waiters only remembered orders that were in the process of being served, but once the order was complete and the food was served, they would forget about it.
Zeigarnik and her team conducted a series of experiments to study this effect. In one of the experiments, participants were asked to perform a set of tasks, some of which were interrupted before completion. The results showed that participants remembered the interrupted tasks better than the completed ones.
The Zeigarnik Effect is often used to explain the intrusive thoughts that pop into our minds when we have unfinished business or unresolved issues. It suggests that our brain keeps reminding us of these uncompleted tasks until they are resolved, which can create some mental tension and a feeling of unease until the task is completed.
This phenomenon has implications in various fields, including psychology, marketing, education. It is often used in advertising and storytelling to create curiosity and engagement by presenting unresolved situations, encouraging the audience to seek resolution.
12. Parkinson’s Law
Any task will expand to fill all the available time
The law suggests that if you give yourself a certain amount of time to complete a task, even if the task could be accomplished in a shorter period, you will likely take the entire allotted time to finish it.
Parkinson’s Law highlights the tendency for tasks to expand in complexity and time as more time is given to complete them. This phenomenon is often attributed to factors such as inefficiency, bureaucracy, and the tendency to overcomplicate tasks. The law is widely cited in discussions about time management, project planning, and productivity.
Understanding Parkinson’s Law can be helpful for individuals and organizations to be aware of potential inefficiencies in their processes and to set realistic deadlines to prevent unnecessary delays and procrastination.
