Principles of User Interfaces

Jakob’s Law

Users spend most of their time on other sites. This means that users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know.

Key Takeaways:

1. Users will transfer expectations they have built around one familiar product to another that appears similar.
2. By leveraging existing mental models, we can create superior user experiences in which the users can focus on their tasks rather than on learning new models.
3. When making changes, minimize discord by empowering users to continue using a familiar version for a limited time.

Fitt’s Law

The time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target.

Key Takeaways:

1. Touch targets should be large enough for users to accurately select them.
2. Touch targets should have ample spacing between them.
3. Touch targets should be placed in areas of an interface that allow them to be easily acquired.