The laws of UX: the art of creating intuitive interfaces 🎨

In the complex world of digital, user experience (UX) plays an ES-SEN-TIAL role. In other words, UX laws are the backbone of intuitive interface design. They are based on cognitive psychology, which studies how the human brain works, remembers, perceives and, above all, makes decisions (such as the move to purchase, for example 🙄 ). 

Once mastered, it makes it possible to create an exceptional experience!

These UX laws take into account mental load, the decision-making process and memorized expertise, enabling us to create interfaces that correspond as closely as possible to the user’s mental model and needs. Real value optimization, isn’t it?

Today, we’re sharing with you the 5 fundamental laws for creating the most optimal user experience 🔥BE READY.. (and take some notes 💡)

1. Familiarity counts: Jakob’s Law

Jakob’s Law, based on Jakob Nielsen, states that users rely on already established mental patterns to interact with new interfaces. So creating a more familiar interface can greatly facilitate interaction!

One example is the shopping cart icons on e-commerce sites, which are usually a shopping cart, a symbol widely recognized by the general public.

2. Simplify information to the max: Miller’s Law

George Miller’s law states that our memory has a limited capacity to retain short-term information, plus or minus 7 elements (which is not bad, we grant you). If we follow this logic, it becomes essential to divide information into fragments to reduce cognitive load.

Bulleted lists in articles or numbered steps when completing an online order are concrete examples!

3. Highlight the essential: the Von Restroff effect

The Von Restroff effect, or isolation effect, asserts that visual elements that stand out from the rest (such as a contrasting color or bolding) will attract much more attention and therefore be better remembered.

For example, in a list of blog posts, bolding a title makes it more visible and memorable to browsers 👀

4. Size and distance matter: Fitts’ Law

This law states that the size and distance of elements affect the time required for interaction. A larger call-to-action button closer to the user is easier to click. 

On a website, a “Buy Now” button centered in the middle of the page attracts more attention than a small button hidden in the bottom left-hand corner! 

5. Structure perception: Gestalt laws

Last but not least, these laws allow us to organize what the user sees when interacting with a product or website. Three of these laws are particularly important.

The Law of Good Form tells us to group similar elements together so that they make sense. For example, if you have action buttons of different colors on a website, grouping buttons of the same color helps users understand which actions are similar.

The Law of Proximity, on the other hand, advises you to visually bring related elements closer together. If you have images and descriptions on a page, placing them close together tells users that these elements connect. The Law of Continuity is about guiding the user in a logical way. When you have a sequence of steps or actions to follow on a website, make sure that the layout of the elements facilitates this progression without creating confusion.

The Law of Continuity is about guiding the user in a logical way. When you have a sequence of steps or actions to follow on a website, make sure that the layout of the elements facilitates this progression without creating confusion.

Find out how we applied these laws for our customer Belcenter.

As you can see, UX is much more than a simple interface: it’s the art of captivating users. These principles of cognitive psychology guide our approach. They remind us of the importance of familiarity, simplicity and focusing on the essentials! By combining these principles, we create unforgettable experiences.

So, are you ready to dive into this captivating universe? It’s time to make every interaction a memorable one! UX is the future of digital, where every detail counts 🚀