+100 UI/UX Design Principles

Hick’s Law

More choices mean slower decisions. Keep it simple.

Hick's Law is a principle in psychology and design that suggests the time it takes for an individual to make a decision increases with the number of choices or stimuli present. This law emphasizes the importance of simplifying choices and reducing complexity in design to improve decision-making efficiency.

Confirmation Bias

Users favor info that supports what they already believe.

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to seek out, interpret, and remember information that confirms their preexisting beliefs or hypotheses, while ignoring or discounting contradictory evidence. This bias can lead to selective perception and the reinforcement of existing beliefs, hindering objective evaluation and decision-making.

Priming

Early cues subtly influence later choices and behavior.

Priming is a psychological phenomenon where exposure to one stimulus influences a person's response to a subsequent stimulus, often without conscious awareness. This effect can affect perceptions, judgments, and behaviors, demonstrating the subtle ways in which prior experiences and stimuli shape our thoughts and actions.

Cognitive Load

Too much info overwhelms. Simplify for clarity.

Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort required to process information or perform a task. It encompasses both the intrinsic complexity of the task itself and the additional cognitive demands imposed by external factors, such as distractions or multitasking. Managing cognitive load is crucial in design and education to optimize learning and task performance.

Anchoring Bias

Initial info heavily influences later decisions.

Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias where individuals rely too heavily on initial information (the "anchor") when making decisions or judgments, even if the anchor is irrelevant or misleading. This bias can lead to systematic errors in judgment, as individuals may be unwilling to adjust their estimates or decisions sufficiently away from the initial anchor.

Nudge

Small design tweaks steer users toward better choices.

A nudge is a subtle, indirect suggestion or intervention that influences people's behavior without restricting their freedom of choice. It is designed to gently steer individuals towards making better decisions or adopting desirable behaviors, often by altering the presentation of options or providing timely reminders or prompts.

Progressive Disclosure

Reveal info step-by-step to reduce cognitive overload.

Progressive disclosure is a design technique where information is revealed gradually, presenting only the most relevant or essential details initially and offering additional information as needed or requested. This approach helps to manage complexity, reduce cognitive overload, and enhance user understanding by providing information in a structured and digestible manner, improving the overall user experience.

Fitts's Law

Larger and closer targets, make actions easier.

Fitts's Law predicts the time required to rapidly move to a target area, based on the distance to the target and the size of the target area. It states that the time required for a pointing task is determined by the distance to the target and the size of the target, with larger targets and closer distances resulting in faster pointing movements.

Banner Blindness

Users ignore anything that looks like an ad.

Banner blindness is a phenomenon where website visitors consciously or subconsciously ignore banner-like advertisements or promotional content on web pages. This occurs due to repeated exposure to such elements, conditioning users to automatically filter out or overlook these areas of the page, resulting in reduced visibility and effectiveness of banner ads.

Decoy Effect

A third option makes one choice look more appealing.

The Decoy Effect is a cognitive bias where the introduction of a third, less attractive option influences individuals to favor one of the original options, which may have seemed less appealing when considered alone. This effect is often used in marketing and decision-making contexts to steer people towards a specific choice by manipulating their perception of alternatives.

Framing

Context and wording shape how users interpret choices.

Framing is a cognitive phenomenon where the presentation or context of information influences individuals' perceptions, judgments, and decisions. By framing information in different ways, such as emphasizing gains versus losses or highlighting different aspects of an issue, individuals may interpret the same information differently, leading to varied responses and outcomes.

Attentional Bias

Users focus on emotionally charged elements.

Attention bias refers to the tendency of individuals to selectively focus their attention on certain stimuli or information while neglecting others. This cognitive phenomenon can be influenced by factors such as past experiences, emotions, and individual differences, and it plays a significant role in shaping perception, memory, and decision-making processes.

Empathy Gap

Users misjudge how emotions affect future decisions.

The empathy gap occurs when individuals underestimate how their emotions influence their decisions or behaviors, especially when they are in a different emotional state.

Visual Anchors

Visual anchors, guide attention and focus naturally.

Visual anchors are points of reference in a visual context that help guide perception and understanding. These anchors can be specific objects, landmarks, or features within an image or scene that draw attention and provide a frame of reference for interpretation. In various fields such as design, navigation, and psychology, visual anchors play a crucial role in shaping how individuals perceive and interact with visual information.

Von Restorff Effect

Distinct elements stand out and are more memorable.

The Von Restorff Effect, named after psychologist Hedwig von Restorff, states that unique items are more likely to be remembered than those that are similar. This psychological phenomenon underscores the importance of distinctiveness in memory retention and has applications in marketing, education, and design.

Visual Hierarchy

Design order guides attention and improves readability.

Visual hierarchy is the arrangement of elements to guide attention and convey importance in a design. It uses factors like size, color, and spacing to highlight key information for easier understanding.

Selective Attention

Users notice what aligns with their goals or needs.

Selective attention is the ability to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring others. It's a cognitive process essential for filtering information and directing mental resources to relevant tasks or inputs.

Survivorship Bias

Focusing on successes ignores the unseen failures.

Survivorship bias occurs when we focus only on the successful or surviving outcomes, ignoring those that failed or were eliminated. This bias can lead to inaccurate conclusions or decisions because it overlooks important factors that contribute to failure or loss.

Juxtaposition

Side-by-side comparison highlights contrasts.

Juxtaposition is the placement of two or more contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences or create a specific effect. It's a technique commonly used in art, literature, and design to evoke emotions, provoke thoughts, or emphasize themes.

Signifiers

Visual cues guide user actions and interactions.

Signifiers are visual, auditory, or tactile cues that convey meaning or indicate the presence of something. They serve as symbols or indicators in various contexts, such as design, language, and user interfaces, helping users navigate and understand their environment more effectively.

Contrast

Strong differences highlight key elements.

Contrast is the degree of difference between elements in a design, such as color, size, or shape. It is used to create visual interest, emphasize important information, and guide the viewer's attention.

External Trigger

External cues prompt users to act.

An external trigger is a stimulus from the environment that prompts a specific response or behavior in an individual. It could be anything from a notification on a smartphone to a sound or visual cue that initiates an action or reaction.

Centre-Stage Effect

Main elements capture focus, pushing others aside.

Centre-Stage Effect refers to prioritizing certain elements or features in a user interface, often leading users to overestimate their importance or prominence. This can influence user behavior and perception, affecting their interaction with the product or website.

Law of Proximity

Elements close together are perceived as related.

The Law of Proximity is a principle in design stating that elements placed close together are perceived as related or forming a group. This principle is used to organize and structure information effectively, guiding user comprehension and creating visual hierarchy.

Tesler's Law

Every product has a minimum complexity limit.

Coined by Larry Tesler this principle suggests that any simplification or reduction in complexity in one aspect of a system will often result in an equivalent increase in complexity elsewhere. This concept is fundamental in user interface design, highlighting the need for thoughtful consideration of where complexity is best managed within a system.

Spark Effect

Small actions can trigger larger user engagement.

The "Spark Effect" is a term used to describe the phenomenon where a small, seemingly insignificant action or event triggers a much larger, unexpected outcome or chain of events. This concept highlights the potential for small actions to have significant impacts, often leading to transformative changes or breakthroughs.

Feedback Loop

Actions trigger responses, reinforcing behavior.

Feedback loop refers to the process of gathering user input or responses to improve the design of a product or interface. It involves collecting feedback through various means, such as user testing, surveys, or analytics, and using this information to iterate and refine the user experience.

Expectations Bias

Expectations influence how we perceive experiences.

Expectations bias is a cognitive bias where preconceived notions or beliefs influence perceptions and judgments, leading individuals to interpret information in a way that aligns with their expectations, potentially distorting objectivity.

Aesthetic-Usability Effect

Attractive designs, seem easier and more usable.

The Aesthetic-Usability Effect suggests that users perceive aesthetically pleasing designs as more usable and effective, even if functionality remains unchanged. This highlights the importance of visual appeal in influencing user perceptions and engagement with products or interfaces.

Social Proof

People follow the actions of others to guide decisions.

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where individuals look to the actions or behaviors of others to guide their own decisions and actions, especially in uncertain situations. It is based on the assumption that if others are doing something, it must be the correct or appropriate thing to do. Social proof is commonly used in marketing and persuasion techniques to influence consumer behavior and encourage conformity.

Scarcity

Limited availability increases perceived value.

Scarcity is a principle where the perceived value of an item or opportunity increases when it is limited or difficult to obtain. This psychological effect triggers a sense of urgency and desire in individuals, leading them to place higher importance on acquiring the scarce item or opportunity. Scarcity is often used in marketing and sales strategies to drive demand and prompt action from consumers.

Curiosity Gap

Unanswered questions drive curiosity and engagement.

The Curiosity Gap is a concept where individuals are drawn to information or experiences when there's a gap between what they know and what they want to know. This gap creates a sense of curiosity, motivating people to seek out more information or engage further with a topic, content, or product. It's often leveraged in marketing and content creation to capture and maintain audience interest.

Familiarity Bias

We prefer things that are familiar or well-known.

Familiarity bias is a cognitive bias where individuals favor options or ideas they are familiar with over unfamiliar alternatives, even if the unfamiliar options may be objectively better. This bias is driven by comfort and ease of processing familiar information, leading to a preference for the status quo and resistance to change.

Skeuomorphism

Design elements mimic real-world objects for familiarity.

Skeuomorphism is a design approach that incorporates visual elements or characteristics from real-world objects into digital interfaces to make them more familiar and intuitive for users. This technique often involves using textures, shadows, and 3D effects to simulate physical materials or objects, enhancing user understanding and usability.

Reciprocity

People feel obligated to return favors or kindness.

Reciprocity is a social principle where individuals feel obliged to repay favors, gifts, or acts of kindness they have received from others. This mutual exchange fosters cooperation, trust, and social bonds, as individuals reciprocate gestures to maintain balance and fairness in relationships.

Singularity Effect

One option stands out more than multiple choices.

People are more willing to empathize with a single, identifiable person than large abstract groups. This means that the addition of more people doesn’t increase your willingness to help proportionally. On the opposite, your compassion fades as more people are involved.

Variable Reward

Unpredictable rewards boost engagement.

Variable reward is a principle used in psychology and design where rewards are delivered unpredictably and variably in response to certain behaviors or actions. This approach creates a sense of anticipation and excitement, encouraging continued engagement and behavior repetition. Variable rewards are often employed in product design, gaming, and marketing to foster user engagement and drive desired actions.

Aha! moment

A sudden realization or insight triggers user satisfaction.

The "Aha! moment" refers to a sudden realization or understanding that occurs when a person grasps a concept, solves a problem, or makes a connection between seemingly unrelated ideas. It is often accompanied by a feeling of insight, clarity, or enlightenment, and can lead to significant shifts in perspective or behavior.

Goal Gradient Effect

Users increase effort as they near their goal.

The Goal Gradient Effect is a psychological principle where individuals increase their efforts or motivation as they progress towards a goal, due to the perception of being closer to the endpoint. This effect leads to accelerated progress and heightened engagement as individuals approach the completion of a task or achievement.

Occam’s Razor

Simpler solutions are often the best.

Occam's Razor, also known as the principle of parsimony, suggests that among competing explanations or hypotheses, the simplest one is usually the correct one. In other words, when faced with multiple explanations for a phenomenon, the one that requires the fewest assumptions or entities is typically preferred.

Noble Edge Effect

Small improvements lead to big impacts.

The Noble Edge Effect is a phenomenon where individuals perceive morally good or socially responsible companies or brands as having other positive attributes, such as higher quality or reliability. This effect arises from the association of ethical behavior with overall competence and trustworthiness, leading consumers to favor companies that demonstrate ethical practices.

Hawthorne Effect

People change behavior when they feel observed.

The Hawthorne Effect is a phenomenon where individuals modify their behavior or performance in response to the awareness of being observed or studied. This effect, observed during the Hawthorne experiments in the 1920s and 1930s, highlights the impact of social factors on behavior and productivity in workplace settings.

Halo Effect

One positive trait makes everything seem better.

The Halo Effect is a cognitive bias where a person's overall impression of something influences their perception of specific traits or characteristics associated with it, leading to biased judgments or evaluations.

Miller’s Law

People can hold 7 (±2) items in working memory.

Miller's Law suggests that the average person can hold about seven (plus or minus two) items in their working memory at once. This principle emphasizes the limited capacity of human cognition and is often applied in user interface design to optimize information presentation and enhance user comprehension.

Unit Bias

People prefer a single unit regardless of size or value.

Unit bias is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to consume a standard portion or unit of a certain item, regardless of whether it's appropriate for their needs, leading to overconsumption or inefficient resource allocation.

Flow State

Deep focus, improves task performance and joy.

Flow state, coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, refers to a mental state characterized by complete absorption, focus, and enjoyment in an activity, where individuals are fully immersed and energized by the experience.

Authority Bias

We tend to trust and follow perceived authority figures.

Authority bias is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to give more weight or trust to the opinions, actions, or decisions of authority figures or perceived experts, often without critically evaluating the merit of their expertise or information.

Pseudo-Set Framing

Users stay motivated when tasks feel like a set.

Pseudo-set framing is a cognitive bias where individuals perceive a situation as a subset of a larger problem, limiting their perspective and potentially overlooking alternative solutions or implications.

Group Attractiveness Effect

Attractive groups seem more appealing overall.

The Group Attractiveness Effect is a phenomenon where individuals perceive members of a group as more attractive when they are surrounded by others, compared to when they are seen alone. This bias highlights the influence of social context on attractiveness perception.

Curse of Knowledge

Experts forget what it’s like not to know.

The Curse of Knowledge is a cognitive bias where individuals who are knowledgeable about a topic or concept struggle to understand or communicate it to others who lack that knowledge. This bias can lead to difficulties in effective communication and teaching, as the knowledgeable person may assume others have the same level of understanding.

Self-Initiated Triggers

Users trigger actions based on their own motivations.

Self-initiated triggers are cues or prompts that originate from within oneself, prompting a specific action or behavior. These triggers are internally generated and can be based on personal goals, motivations, or habits, driving individuals to initiate actions without external influence.

Survey Bias

Survey responses are influenced by question design.

Survey bias refers to the unintentional distortion of user feedback or data collected through surveys due to factors such as leading questions, response options, or the timing and context of survey administration. This bias can result in inaccurate insights about user preferences, behaviors, and needs, impacting the design decisions made based on the survey data.

Cognitive Dissonance

Contradictory beliefs cause discomfort and change.

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. Individuals strive to reduce this discomfort by either changing their beliefs or justifying their actions, seeking consistency between their thoughts and actions.

Feedforward

Providing guidance before actions improves outcomes.

Feedforward refers to providing users with guidance or cues about how to interact with a system before they engage with it, helping to shape their expectations and actions. It anticipates users' needs and behaviors, enhancing usability and reducing errors by preemptively guiding users through the interface or process.

Hindsight Bias

We believe outcomes were obvious after they happen.

Hindsight bias is a cognitive bias where individuals perceive events as having been more predictable or foreseeable after they have occurred, leading them to overestimate their ability to predict outcomes. This bias can distort memory and decision-making, as it influences how individuals evaluate past events.

Law of Similarity

Similar items are grouped and perceived together.

The Law of Similarity is a principle in psychology and design that states that elements that share similar visual characteristics, such as shape, color, or size, are perceived as related or belonging to the same group. This principle is often utilized in design to create patterns, group related elements, and enhance visual organization.

Law of Prägnanz

We perceive the simplest, most stable shapes.

The Law of Prägnanz, also known as the Law of Simplicity or the Law of Good Figure, is a principle in Gestalt psychology stating that individuals perceive ambiguous or complex stimuli in the simplest and most organized way possible.

Streisand Effect

Hiding information often makes it more public.

The Streisand Effect refers to the phenomenon where attempting to suppress or censor information or content leads to increased attention, visibility, and spread of that information. This unintended consequence often occurs when attempts to restrict access to information draw more attention to it, resulting in widespread dissemination beyond what would have occurred if left alone.

Spotlight Effect

We overestimate how much others notice us.

The Spotlight Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals overestimate the extent to which others notice or pay attention to their appearance, behavior, or actions in social situations. This bias leads people to believe that they are more conspicuous or scrutinized than they actually are, influencing their behavior and self-consciousness in social settings.

Fresh Start Effect

New beginnings boost motivation and goal pursuit.

The Fresh Start Effect is a cognitive phenomenon where individuals feel motivated to pursue new goals or make significant changes in behavior during temporal landmarks, such as the start of a new week, month, or year.

Labor Illusion

Showing effort makes users value the experience more.

Labor illusion is a cognitive bias where individuals perceive products or services to be of higher quality when they appear to involve more manual effort or labor, even if the actual process is automated or streamlined. This illusion arises from the association of craftsmanship and effort with value and authenticity, influencing consumer perceptions and preferences.

Default Bias

People often choose the default option.

Default bias is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to stick with the default option when making decisions, even when other options may be more beneficial or suitable.This bias arises from the inertia of maintaining the status quo and the perceived safety or convenience of sticking with familiar choices.

Investment Loops

Users stay engaged when effort builds future value.

Investment loops are cycles of repeated investment, where individuals commit more resources, such as time, money, or effort, into a pursuit due to their previous investments, even if the returns are diminishing or uncertain. These loops are driven by the desire to justify past investments and avoid losses, often leading to escalating commitment despite unfavorable outcomes.

Loss Aversion

Users fear losses more than they value gains.

Loss aversion is a cognitive bias where individuals place greater emphasis on avoiding losses than acquiring equivalent gains. This bias leads people to make decisions that prioritize risk avoidance and preservation of current assets, often resulting in reluctance to take risks or make changes, even when the potential benefits outweigh the losses.

Commitment & Consistency

Users stick to past actions to stay consistent.

Commitment and consistency is a psychological principle where individuals have a strong tendency to align their actions and behaviors with their past commitments and beliefs. Once people commit to a particular stance or course of action, they are more likely to maintain consistency with that commitment, even in the face of contradictory evidence or changing circumstances.

Sunk Cost Effect

People continue due to past investments, not future value.

The Sunk Cost Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals continue to invest resources (time, money, effort) into a project or decision, despite diminishing returns or negative outcomes, because they have already invested significant resources. This bias is driven by the reluctance to "waste" previous investments, leading to irrational decision-making and potential losses.

Reactance

Users resist when they feel their freedom is limited.

Reactance is a psychological phenomenon where individuals resist or react negatively to perceived attempts to restrict their freedom of choice or autonomy. This reaction is often triggered when individuals feel that their freedom or control is threatened, leading them to assert their independence by acting contrary to the imposed restrictions or influence.

Law of the Instrument

People rely on familiar tools, even when inappropriate.

The Law of the Instrument, also known as the law of the hammer, is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to use familiar tools or methods, regardless of their suitability for the task at hand. This bias reflects a tendency to rely on existing skills or resources, even when they may not be the most effective or appropriate solution.

Temptation Bundling

Pairing a reward with a task boosts motivation.

Temptation bundling is a behavioral strategy where individuals pair a desired activity, which they tend to avoid, with a less desirable but necessary activity. By combining these activities, individuals can motivate themselves to engage in the less desirable task by linking it with a rewarding experience.

Dunning-Kruger Effect

Inexperienced users overestimate their abilities.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals with low ability or knowledge in a particular domain tend to overestimate their competence, while those with higher ability may underestimate their competence. This bias arises from a lack of metacognitive skills to accurately assess one's own competence, leading to inflated self-assessments among less skilled individuals.

Discoverability

Making features easy to find improves user experience.

Discoverability refers to the ease with which users can find and understand the features, functions, or content within a product or interface. A highly discoverable design ensures that users can easily navigate and access desired elements without extensive effort or guidance, enhancing usability and user satisfaction.

Second-Order Effect

Long-term effects differ from short-term ones.

Second-order effects are indirect consequences or outcomes resulting from an initial action or event, often occurring beyond the immediate scope or timeframe. These effects are typically more complex and less predictable than the primary effects, impacting various aspects of a system or situation.

Decision Fatigue

Decreased decision-making quality after many choices.

Decision fatigue refers to the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long period of decision-making. As one makes more decisions throughout the day, their mental resources become depleted, leading to reduced willpower and increased impulsivity or avoidance of making further choices.

Observer-Expectancy Effect

When observers expectations influence outcomes.

The Observer-Expectancy Effect, also known as the experimenter expectancy effect or observer bias, occurs when a researcher's expectations or beliefs influence the outcomes of an experiment. This bias can lead the researcher to inadvertently influence participants' behavior or the results of the study, affecting the validity and reliability of the findings.

Weber's Law

Perceived change depends on the original stimulus intensity.

Weber's Law suggests that the smallest change in a stimulus that can be perceived by an observer is relative to the original intensity of the stimulus. This principle is foundational in psychophysics and has implications for understanding human perception across various sensory modalities.

Parkinson’s Law

Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.

Parkinson's Law is the adage that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. It suggests that tasks will often take up all the time allocated to them, regardless of their actual complexity or importance. This principle highlights the importance of setting realistic deadlines and managing time effectively to avoid inefficiencies and procrastination.

Affect Heuristic

Making decisions based on emotions rather than facts.

The affect heuristic is a mental shortcut where individuals rely on their emotional responses or gut feelings when making judgments or decisions, rather than systematically analyzing available information. This bias can lead to quick decision-making but may also result in irrational or biased judgments influenced by emotions rather than objective reasoning.

Hyperbolic Discounting

Preferring immediate rewards over long-term gains.

Hyperbolic discounting is a cognitive bias where individuals prioritize immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, even if the delayed reward offers greater overall benefit. This tendency leads to impulsive decision-making and can hinder long-term goal attainment.

Chronoception

Perception of time, influences user experience.

Chronoception refers to an individual's perception and understanding of time. It encompasses how people experience the passage of time, their ability to estimate durations, and their awareness of temporal intervals. This cognitive ability influences various aspects of daily life, including decision-making, planning, and memory formation.

Cashless Effect

Spending tends to increase with cashless payments.

The Cashless Effect describes the psychological phenomenon where individuals tend to spend more money when using digital forms of payment, such as credit cards or mobile wallets, compared to using cash. This tendency is attributed to the reduced psychological "pain" associated with spending money electronically, leading to increased impulse buying and less conscious spending behavior.

Self-serving bias

Attributing success to oneself, failure to others.

Self-serving bias is a cognitive bias where individuals attribute their successes to internal factors, such as their abilities or efforts, while attributing failures to external factors, such as luck or circumstances. This bias helps to protect self-esteem and maintain a positive self-image, but it can also lead to distorted perceptions of reality and a lack of accountability.

Pareto Principle

80% of effects come from 20% of causes.

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, suggests that roughly 80% of outcomes result from 20% of causes. In various contexts, it implies that a minority of efforts or inputs often lead to the majority of results or outputs. This principle is widely observed in business, economics, and other fields, guiding resource allocation and decision-making for maximum efficiency and impact.

Backfire Effect

Stronger belief when faced with opposing evidence.

The Backfire Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals, when presented with evidence that contradicts their beliefs or worldview, may become even more entrenched in their original beliefs rather than changing their minds. This phenomenon occurs because the contradictory information can threaten one's identity or deeply held beliefs, leading to defensive reactions that reinforce the original beliefs.

False Consensus Effect

Belief that others share your opinions more than they do.

The False Consensus Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals overestimate the extent to which others share their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. This bias leads people to assume that their opinions and preferences are more common or "normal" than they actually are, influencing their perceptions of social norms and interactions.

Bandwagon Effect

Adopting beliefs because others do.

The Bandwagon Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals are more likely to adopt certain beliefs, behaviors, or trends simply because they perceive that others are doing the same. This phenomenon often leads to conformity and the amplification of popular ideas or trends, regardless of their merit or validity.

Barnum-Forer Effect

Perceiving vague statements as personally meaningful.

The Barnum-Forer Effect, also known as the Forer Effect, is a cognitive bias where individuals believe that vague and general personality descriptions apply specifically to them, even though they could apply to a wide range of people. This phenomenon occurs because people tend to interpret vague statements as highly accurate and personally relevant, leading them to perceive the descriptions as insightful and applicable to themselves.

IKEA Effect

Overvaluing items you partially create or assemble.

The IKEA Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals place a disproportionately high value on products they have partially created or assembled themselves, such as IKEA furniture. This bias occurs because people tend to attach personal significance and effort to their creations, leading to increased satisfaction and attachment to the end product.

Planning Fallacy

Underestimating time and resources for tasks.

The Planning Fallacy is a cognitive bias where individuals consistently underestimate the time, costs, and resources required to complete a task or project. This bias occurs due to an optimistic outlook and a tendency to overlook potential obstacles or delays, leading to unrealistic expectations and poor planning.

Provide Exit Points

Offering clear ways to leave or cancel actions.

Providing exit points involves offering users clear and accessible options to leave or disengage from a process, interaction, or system. These exit points enhance user autonomy and usability by allowing users to navigate away from unwanted situations or tasks, promoting a positive user experience.

Peak-End Rule

Judging experiences by their peak and end moments.

The Peak-End Rule is a psychological principle stating that individuals tend to judge past experiences based on the most intense moments (peak) and how they ended.

This bias influences perceptions of overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction, with memories often disproportionately shaped by these peak and ending moments rather than considering the experience in its entirety.

Sensory Appeal

Attracting attention through sight, sound, or touch.

Sensory appeal refers to the design elements or features that stimulate the senses, such as sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, to evoke emotional responses and enhance user experiences. By incorporating sensory elements into products, services, or environments, designers can create more engaging and memorable experiences that resonate with users on a deeper level.

Zeigarnik Effect

Tendency to remember unfinished tasks better.

The Zeigarnik Effect is a psychological principle where individuals remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks more than completed ones. This effect underscores the tendency for unresolved tasks to occupy our thoughts until they are completed, highlighting the importance of closure and completion in managing cognitive load and maintaining focus.

Endowment Effect

Tendency to remember unfinished tasks better.

The Endowment Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to value items more highly once they own or possess them, compared to their valuation of the same items when they don't own them. This bias leads to an inflated perception of the value of owned items, influencing decisions such as pricing, trading, or selling.

Chunking

Grouping information to improve memory and recall.

Chunking is a cognitive strategy where information is organized into smaller, manageable units, or "chunks," to improve memory and processing efficiency. By breaking down large amounts of information into meaningful groups, individuals can more easily retain and recall the information, enhancing cognitive performance and learning.

Delighters

Unexpected features that pleasantly surprise users.

Delighters, also known as "wow" moments or delightful surprises, are unexpected features, interactions, or details in a product or experience that pleasantly surprise and delight users. These elements go beyond meeting basic user needs, adding an extra layer of enjoyment or satisfaction to the user experience, and can leave a lasting positive impression.

Internal Trigger

An internal cue that prompts a user to take action.

An internal trigger refers to a psychological or emotional cue that prompts individuals to take action or engage in a specific behavior. Unlike external triggers, which come from the environment, internal triggers arise from within an individual's thoughts, feelings, or memories, motivating them to act based on internal states or desires.

Picture Superiority Effect

Images are remembered better than words.

The Picture Superiority Effect is a cognitive phenomenon where information presented in visual form, such as images or graphics, is more easily remembered and recognized compared to text or verbal descriptions. This effect highlights the power of visual stimuli in memory retention and learning processes.

Method of Loci

Memory technique using familiar locations to recall info.

The Method of Loci is a mnemonic technique where individuals associate the items they want to remember with specific visual images of locations they are familiar with, such as rooms in a house or landmarks in a city. By mentally walking through these locations and recalling the associated images, individuals can more effectively remember and retrieve the information they have encoded.

Shaping

Gradually reinforcing desired behaviors over time.

Shaping is a technique used in behavior analysis where desired behaviors are reinforced gradually, starting with small steps or approximations leading to the final desired behavior. Through reinforcement of successive approximations, individuals are guided towards exhibiting the target behavior.

Recognition Over Recall

Easier to recognize information than to recall it.

Recognition over recall is a cognitive principle suggesting that it's generally easier for individuals to recognize information when presented with options, rather than having to recall it from memory without any cues. This principle is often utilized in user interface design and learning materials to enhance usability and retention.

Storytelling Effect

Stories make info more memorable.

The storytelling effect is the cognitive phenomenon where information presented in a narrative format is more memorable and engaging compared to information presented in a non-narrative form. This effect underscores the power of storytelling in communication and persuasion, as narratives evoke emotional responses and facilitate better retention of information.

Negativity Bias

Negative experiences outweigh positive ones.

Negativity bias is a cognitive bias where individuals pay more attention to and give greater weight to negative experiences or information compared to positive ones. This bias can lead to heightened sensitivity to potential threats and negative outcomes, influencing decision-making and perceptions of the world.

Availability Heuristic

People rely on immediate examples to make decisions.

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut where individuals base their judgments and decisions on the ease with which examples or instances come to mind. This bias can lead people to overestimate the likelihood of events that are more readily available in memory, often due to recent exposure, vividness, or personal relevance, regardless of their actual frequency or probability.

Spacing Effect

Information is better retained when learned over time.

The spacing effect is a cognitive phenomenon where information is better retained and remembered when it is studied over multiple spaced intervals rather than in one continuous session. This effect highlights the importance of distributed practice for long-term retention and learning.

Serial Position Effect

People remember the first and last items best.

The serial position effect is a cognitive phenomenon where individuals are more likely to remember the first (primacy effect) and last (recency effect) items in a list, while items in the middle are less likely to be remembered. This effect highlights the influence of the position of information on memory recall.