20 UX Laws & How to apply them (illustrated) 👇
The rule of the first impression
It takes a fraction of a second to make a good/bad first impression.
Things that users see when they start interacting with your product will shape their opinion.
That's why I'm starting this thread with this rule & attaching a nice video
Picture Superiority Effect
Pictures and images are more likely to be remembered than words.
Use visual storytelling in your products.
By pairing text with images, you increase the chance that users will remember the information.
Fitt's law
The time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target.
- Make your targets large enough
- Have enough space between them
Further reading from @uxplanet
uxplanet.org/fitts-law-in-2…
3 Main time limits
🔸0.1 second: users feeling that they are directly manipulating objects in the UI.
🔸1 second: users feeling that they are freely navigating the command space
🔸10 seconds: users keeping their attention on the task.
nngroup.com/articles/respo… from @nngroup
Hick's Law.
The time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices.
A very nice article I found from @smashingmag: smashingmagazine.com/2012/02/redefi….
Takeaway: the fewer options you give users, the faster they make the decision.
Von Restorff Effect
When multiple similar objects are present, the one that differs from the rest is most likely to be remembered.
Takeaway: make important information or key actions visually distinctive.
Check out blog.prototypr.io/the-designers-… from @Prototypr
Weber’s Law of Just Noticeable Differences
Users don’t like dramatic changes, subtle changes work better.
The screenshots below are an example of such dramatic changes.
Even if the new design is better, users will probably dislike it because it changed completely at once.
IKEA Effect
People tend to place a high value on products they partially have created.
The IKEA effect will create a stronger bond between the user and the product.
Read more in the article from @uxcollective uxdesign.cc/design-princip…
Peak-End Rule
People judge an experience largely based on how they felt at its peak and at its end.
Pay close attention to the most intense points and the final moments (the “end”) of the user journey
nngroup.com/articles/peak-…
Law of Proximity
My favorite one.
Objects that are near each other seem to be grouped together.
Simple takeaway: place related objects close to each other to create a connection between them.
Further reading:
interaction-design.org/literature/art… from @interacting
Miller's law
The average person can only keep 7 +- 2 items in their short memory.
BUT.
Remember that short-term memory capacity will vary per individual, don’t use the magical number to justify unnecessary design limitations.
Always use common sense!
Goal Gradient Effect
People are motivated by how much is left to reach their target, not how far they’ve gone.
An example of this is @linkedin "profile strength".
Takeaway: You can enhance user motivation by visually representing progress. By using progress bars, steps etc.
The Zeigarnik Effect
People remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks.
This effect is often used in gamification.
By adding progress trackers in a UI, you remind users about unfinished tasks and motivate them to complete the tasks.
Law of Similarity
Elements that have similar visual appearances seem to be more related.
It’s possible to create similarities using size, color, and shape.
In other words, the UI elements that look similar are related to each other.
Law of Common region
Elements tend to be perceived in groups if they are sharing an area with a clearly defined boundary.
Takeaway:
By adding borders/background around a group of elements, you separate it from surrounding elements.
Jakob’s Law
Users spend most of their time on other sites.
This means that users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know.
Familiarity gives users confidence and encourages them to interact with the interface.
medium.cobeisfresh.com/jakobs-law-e36…
Serial Position Effect
A user best remembers the first and last items in a series.
Consider this effect when delivering information to your users or displaying navigation options.
Here is a good article about it from @cacoocom cacoo.com/blog/3-ways-im…
Law of Continuity
Objects connected by straight or curving lines are seen in a way that follows the smoothest path.
I liked the example of @Shopify article shopify.com/partners/blog/… from @101babich
Take a look at the attached picture of how it's used.
Law of Closure
Our brains tend to fill in gaps in information.
This trick is widely used in graphic design, for such things as loaders/logos etc.
Check out amazing examples of using the closure principle in negative space logos:
en.99designs.de/blog/creative-…
The Aesthetic-Usability Effect
Users have a positive emotional response to your visual design, and that makes them more tolerant of minor usability issues.
Designing an interface that’s attractive as well as functional is worth the resources.
Apple uses this effect for 100% 😍
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