cognitive-foundations

The science of how minds work, and what that means for design.

| Fitts's Law | MT = a + b × log₂(2D/W) | Bigger + closer = faster. Screen edges are infinite. | | Hick-Hyman | RT = a + b × log₂(n+1) | More choices = slower. Reduce or organize options. | | Steering Law | T = a + b × (A/W) | Narrow paths are slow. Cascading menus are hard. | | Power Law | T = a × N^(-b) | Practice helps. Design for learnability. |

| 1 | Visibility of system status | Can user always tell what's happening? | | 2 | Match system ↔ real world | Language familiar? Metaphors sensible? | | 3 | User control and freedom | Easy undo? Clear exits? | | 4 | Consistency and standards | Same words/actions mean same things? | | 5 | Error prevention | Constraints prevent errors before they occur? |