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Psychology/11 min read

Cognitive Load and UX: Designing for Human Minds

How understanding cognitive psychology can make you a better designer and developer.

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cognitive-scienceuxpsychology

Cognitive Load and UX

Every interface competes for limited mental resources.

Types of Cognitive Load

  • Intrinsic: Complexity inherent to the task
  • Extraneous: Unnecessary complexity from poor design
  • Germane: Mental effort that aids learning

    • Miller's Law

    The average person can hold 7 +/- 2 items in working memory. Design accordingly:

      1. Chunk information into groups of 3-5
      2. Use progressive disclosure
      3. Provide clear visual hierarchy

    Reducing Cognitive Friction

      1. Consistent patterns reduce learning curve
      2. Familiar metaphors leverage existing knowledge
      3. Clear feedback confirms user actions
    "Don't make me think" isn't laziness -- it's respect for cognitive limits.