Although design can never be described as a precise science, there are numerous principles that can help you to create websites that are functional and aesthetically pleasing.
1. Hick’s law
Psychologist, William Edmund Hick, discovered that when a person is presented with more choices, they will take longer to reach a decision. Therefore removing unnecessary elements and visual clutter will ultimately aid your user journey and provide better, less frustrating experiences.
2. Fitts’ law
Psychologist, Paul Fitts, determined that the size and proximity of something plays a key role in the length of time it takes someone to interact with it. So, as this Forbes article explains, clickable elements on your website should be clear and easy to tap in order to drive more conversions.
3. Jakob’s law
Jakob Nielsen recommends that logic and familiarity should always play a role in the development of user interfaces because users typically expect websites to function similarly to others that they have already visited before. For example, many users expect that interacting with a ‘burger’ icon will open a menu. So, you should ensure that each element within your website behaves in expected ways.
4. Law of common region
Emerging from Gestalt psychology, the law of common region states that when elements on the same page are positioned closely together, people naturally perceive them as being connected. This knowledge can be used to guide users around a web page and in the creation of a seamless user journey.
5. Law of similarity
Also emerging from Gestalt psychology, the law of similarity states that objects with clear commonalities will always be linked. This is why teams specialising in web design Surrey, such as https://www.akikodesign.com/design/web-and-digital, will always maintain a sense of consistency across your website, with things like clear colour schemes and icon design.
6. Miller’s Law
Psychologist, George Miller, stated that we can keep around nine pieces of information in our working memory. As well as not overwhelming your visitors with streams of information, it is also critical to carefully plan your UI to ensure that each feature is easy to use.