12 UI/UX Laws You MUST KNOW 🧠 | Become a UI/UX Designer in 2024 | Saptarshi Prakash

Summary

This video explains 12 key UX laws and principles with everyday examples, making complex concepts accessible. It covers the aesthetic-usability effect, Doherty threshold, Fitts' law, goal gradient effect, Hick's law, Jakob's law, law of similarity, Miller's law, Zeigarnik effect, Von Restorff effect, law of Prägnanz, and Tesler's law of conservation of complexity. The video aims to provide designers with insights on crafting seamless user experiences by considering visual appeal, usability, cognitive load, and human psychology.

Takeaways

• 👌 Good design often goes unnoticed, but there are hidden principles and laws behind crafting seamless experiences.
• 😍 The aesthetic-usability effect states that visually appealing designs are more appealing and preferred by users, even if functionality is the same.
• ⏱️ Minimize wait times and use progress bars or pre-loaded skeletons to keep users engaged during loading periods.
• 📏 Fitts' Law: Larger and closer UI elements are easier to interact with, so make vital components big and place them near the user's fingers.
• 🏁 The goal-gradient effect motivates users to work faster as they get closer to completing a task or goal.
• 📉 Hick's Law: Too many choices can overwhelm and confuse users, leading to slower decision-making. Less is often more.
• 👣 Jakob's Law: Users expect interfaces to work similarly to what they are accustomed to, so don't break common patterns unnecessarily.
• 🔷 The law of similarity states that visually similar elements are perceived as related by users.
• 📦 Miller's Law: Break down complex tasks into logical, easy-to-process steps to avoid overwhelming users' limited memory and processing capabilities.
• 📌 The Zeigarnik effect suggests that users remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones, so provide clear progress indications.

Q & A

What is the aesthetic-usability effect?

The aesthetic-usability effect is the principle that things that look visually appealing are perceived as more usable and satisfying, even if their core functionality is the same. For example, people tend to prefer a nicely presented lemonade drink over one in a plain plastic cup, despite the taste being identical.

Why is it important to keep the waiting time as short as possible in user interfaces?

According to the Doherty Threshold principle, users hate waiting, even for a few milliseconds. Keeping the wait time short and using progress bars or skeleton loaders helps keep users engaged and prevents frustration.

What is Fitts' Law, and how does it apply to user interface design?

Fitts' Law states that bigger and closer objects are easier to click and interact with. In user interface design, it is important to make vital UI components large enough and place them in easily accessible areas for accurate selection.

How does the goal gradient effect influence user behavior?

The goal gradient effect states that the closer people are to completing a goal or task, the faster they work towards reaching it. This effect can be leveraged in user interfaces by showing progress indicators at each step, motivating users to complete the task.

What is Hick's Law, and why is it important in user interface design?

Hick's Law states that the more choices people have, the more time they need to make a decision. In user interface design, it is essential to avoid overwhelming users with too many options, as it can lead to confusion and slower decision-making processes.

What is Jakob's Law, and how does it relate to user interface design?

Jakob's Law states that people spend most of their time in other apps and websites, so they expect new interfaces to work in a similar way to what they are already familiar with. In user interface design, it is important to follow common patterns and conventions to avoid confusing users.

How does the law of similarity apply to user interface design?

The law of similarity states that elements that are visually similar will be perceived as related. In user interface design, it is important to group related elements together and use consistent visual styles to help users understand the relationships between different components.

What is Miller's Law, and how does it impact user interface design?

Miller's Law states that people can only process a limited amount of information at once. In user interface design, it is important to split tasks into logical, easy-to-process steps to avoid overwhelming users with too much information.

What is the Zeigarnik effect, and how can it be applied in user interface design?

The Zeigarnik effect states that people remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones. In user interface design, providing clear indications of progress can motivate users to complete tasks by leveraging this effect.

What is the Von Restorff effect, and how can it be used in user interface design?

The Von Restorff effect, also known as the isolation effect, states that unique and different items stand out and are more likely to be remembered. In user interface design, this effect can be used to highlight important elements, such as pricing plans or call-to-action buttons, by making them visually distinct from the rest of the interface.