Hick’s Law:

The time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices.

The more stimuli to choose from, the longer it takes the user to make a decision on which one to interact with. Users bombarded with choices have to take time to interpret and decide, giving them work they don’t want.

Key Takeaways

  1. Minimise choices when response times are critical to decrease decision time.
  2. Break complex tasks into smaller steps in order to decrease cognitive load.
  3. Avoid overwhelming users by highlighting recommended options.
  4. Use progressive onboarding to minimise cognitive load for new users.
  5. Be careful not to simplify to the point of abstraction.

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https://lawsofux.com/hicks-law/

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Speaking from personal experience, basic tasks can be rather taxing when under stress. Instead, I tend to break it into simple steps to follow. Hick’s Law will be important to implement into my design process, especially for users with neurodivergent conditions such as Autism or ADHD.

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