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name: ux-law description: rule for designing user interfaces and user experience

Design Principles to Follow

Aesthetic-Usability Effect

• Use clean, consistent spacing (e.g., gap-2, px-4)
• Apply typography hierarchy (e.g., text-lg font-semibold)
• Add visual cues like subtle shadows or border separators to improve perceived usability

Hick's Law

• Reduce visible options per screen
• Collapse complex filters/conditions into toggles or expandable sections

Jakob’s Law

• Match WordPress admin conventions (e.g., table lists, modals, top bar)
• Stick to familiar placement of “Add New”, status toggles, and trash icons

Fitts’s Law

• Make important actions (edit, delete) large and easy to click
• Avoid tiny icon-only targets unless grouped and spaced (e.g., space-x-2)

Law of Proximity

• Group related controls using spacing and containers (PanelBody, Card)
• Visually bundle inputs related to conditions or filters

Zeigarnik Effect

• Show progress in multi-step processes (stepper, breadcrumb, “Step X of Y”)
• Provide save state feedback (e.g., “Saving…”, “Unsaved changes” banners)

Goal-Gradient Effect

• Emphasize the next step in workflows (highlight active step, use primary button styling)
• Use progress bars or steppers to encourage completion

Law of Similarity

• Keep consistent styles for toggle switches, buttons, badges, and filters
• Align icon sizing and spacing across rows for visual rhythm

Miller’s Law

• Avoid overloading users; chunk configurations into steps or panels
• Default to collapsed sections for advanced options

Doherty Threshold

• Target sub-400ms interactions (loading skeletons, optimistic UI)
• Use loading states like spinners or shimmer placeholders