We often think of great design as a creative spark, but the most successful apps in the world are built on a foundation of cognitive psychology. These aren't just "design trends"; they are fundamental UX Laws that dictate how we perceive and interact with information.

When design feels "intuitive," it’s usually because it is respecting these core psychological principles:

1. Hick’s Law: The Art of Curation

Hick’s Law states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices.

  • Everyday Example: Netflix doesn't show you every single movie at once. They curate "Top Picks" to help you decide faster.
  • The UX Benefit: Less choice leads to faster decisions and less user fatigue.+1

2. Fitt’s Law: Designing for Human Anatomy

Fitt’s Law dictates that the time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target.

  • Everyday Example: Shopping apps use large "Add to Cart" buttons placed within easy reach of your thumb.
  • The UX Benefit: Bigger, closer targets are easier to interact with, reducing physical strain.

3. Jakob’s Law: The Power of Familiarity

Users spend most of their time on other sites and apps. This means they prefer your app to work the same way as all the others they already know.

  • Everyday Example: The standard bottom navigation bar found across almost every major mobile app.
  • The UX Benefit: Familiarity reduces the "learning effort" required to use a new product.

4. Miller’s Law: Chunking for Clarity

The average human can only hold a limited amount of information in their working memory at once.

  • Everyday Example: Long registration forms broken into multi-step flows instead of one overwhelming screen.
  • The UX Benefit: "Chunking" information reduces cognitive overwhelm.

5. The Feedback Principle: Eliminating Uncertainty

Every action a user takes needs an immediate and clear response.

  • Everyday Example: Loading spinners, success toasts, and progress bars.
  • The UX Benefit: Silence in an interface creates anxiety; feedback creates trust.

Conclusion

UX laws aren't just academic theory—they are the invisible rules of engagement. By applying these laws, we move from making things look good to making things work for the human brain