When it comes to the laws of user experience (UX), there are several principles that designers can consider when building user interfaces. One comprehensive resource is the "Laws of UX" website, which provides a collection of best practices for designers to create effective user interfaces. Some of the key laws and principles mentioned below
Miller's Law
Miller's Law states that our immediate memory and ability for absolute judgment are limited to around seven pieces of information. Our brains are like seven slot toasters, and anything beyond that magical number can leave us feeling overwhelmed and scrambling like a clumsy juggler trying to keep too many balls in the air.
Imagine you're designing a sign-up form for an app. Now, you might have a thousand fields you're itching to include, like "What's your favorite ice cream flavor?" or "Tell us your deepest, darkest secret." But hold your horses! Miller's Law reminds us to keep it simple and focus on the essentials. Stick to the seven chunks of information rule. Ask for the user's name, email, password, and maybe a couple more crucial details. By following Miller's Law, you create a user interface that feels as smooth and effortless as someone casually walking into a party, only having to share a few details at the door. It's all about making the experience manageable, memorable, and inviting. Just like at a party, the more you simplify, the more people will enjoy mingling and having a great time.
Fitts' Law
Fitts' Law is your secret weapon to guide users smoothly through your interface. Like a well-aimed dart hitting the bullseye or a ping pong ball gracefully gliding to its destination, your users have to effortlessly and joyfully interact with your design. The law tells us that if you want to make an option more accessible and easier to select, you gotta make it bigger and closer. It's like having a huge flashing neon sign pointing to the ice cream flavor of the day you can't resist giving it a lick! Make those important elements, like navigation buttons or call-to-action buttons, larger and more prominent.
Law of Prägnanz
Have you ever looked at a perfectly organized shelf of neatly stacked comic books and thought, "Wow, that's satisfying!" That's the Law of Prägnanz in action. People naturally gravitate towards simplicity and organized patterns, and they interpret complex information as simple and structured. So, streamline your designs, remove the clutter, and make it as visually pleasing.
Jacob's Law
Jacob's Law is a fundamental principle in UX design that states that users spend most of their time on other websites and have already formed expectations about how certain design elements should work. Therefore, they prefer your website or application to work in a similar way to what they are already familiar with. Imagine you're designing an e-commerce website. Instead of using a non-standard layout for your product page, you decide to stick with the commonly recognized design conventions: product image on the left, description in the middle, and 'Add to Cart' button on the right. By following this familiar layout and design pattern, users will instantly recognize and understand how to interact with the page. They won't have to expend mental effort figuring out how to navigate or make a purchase, as they already have pre established expectations of how such a product page should function.
Zeigarnik Effect
Using Zeigarnik Effect, designers can create user experiences that encourage engagement and completion of tasks. One example is using progress indicators, such as a progress bar, to show users how much of a task is already completed and how much is left to do. This visually communicates the concept of an unfinished task and can motivate users to complete the remaining steps to reach the end goal. Another way to leverage the Zeigarnik Effect is by using a technique called breakaway design, which involves gradually revealing content or functionality as the user progresses in a task. This creates a sense of anticipation and keeps the user engaged, as they are rewarded with new information or features as they complete tasks
Hick's Law
Hick's Law means that offering too many choices to users can lead to decision paralysis and a decrease in user satisfaction. To apply Hick's Law in UX design, designers can reduce the number of choices presented to users by using progressive disclosure, which involves revealing options only when necessary and in a controlled and intuitive manner. For example, in an e-commerce website, designers can show a few product options on the homepage and let users filter and refine their search results as they interact with the site.
Serial Position Effect
The Serial Position Effect in UX refers to how users remember and perceive information based on its position within a sequence. According to this effect, users are more likely to remember the first and last items in a list or sequence more easily than the items in the middle. Understanding this effect can help UX designers create more effective and memorable user experiences. In UX design, the Serial Position Effect can be leveraged in various ways. One approach is to give more emphasis to the most critical information or actions at the beginning and end of a user flow or interface. By strategically placing important elements, such as key features or call-to-action buttons, at the beginning or end, designers can increase the chances of users remembering and engaging with them Additionally, designers can use visual cues, such as visual hierarchy and size, to highlight important content or actions. By making crucial information stand out, users are more likely to pay attention to and remember it.
Furthermore, designers can leverage the Serial Position Effect by carefully considering the order of presenting information or options to users. For example, if a form has multiple sections, arranging them in a logical sequence can improve users' comprehension and retention of the information they provide.
These are just a few examples of the laws that exist within the realm of user experience design. By following these principles and considering the psychological aspects of human perception and cognition, designers can create interfaces that are visually pleasing, easy to use, and enhance the overall user experience.