| Mental Model | Description | Application | Use Cases | |-------------|-------------|-------------|------------| | 80/20 Rule | A small percentage of inputs causes a large percentage of results | Helps prioritize design efforts and focus on high-impact elements | #productivity #design #optimization | | Accessibility | Design for usability by the widest possible audience | Ensures products and services can be used by people with diverse abilities | #design #usability #inclusion | | Advance Organizer | Provide a conceptual framework before introducing details | Improves user understanding and learning of complex systems | #education #ux #information-architecture | | Aesthetic-Usability Effect | Attractive designs are perceived as easier to use | Guides visual design decisions to improve perceived usability | #design #psychology #ux | | Affordance | Design elements suggest how they should be used | Creates intuitive interfaces that require minimal instruction | #ux #design #interaction | | Alignment | Arrange elements for visual harmony and coherence | Improves readability and visual organization | #design #layout #visual | | Anthropomorphic Form | Human-like forms evoke emotional connections | Creates engaging and relatable interfaces | #design #psychology #emotion | | Archetypes | Universal symbols influence understanding and behavior | Leverages shared cultural understanding in design | #psychology #culture #design | | Area Alignment | Align elements by visual weight instead of edges | Creates balanced and harmonious layouts | #design #layout #visual | | Attractiveness Bias | People favor attractive individuals or things | Influences design decisions for better user engagement | #psychology #design #ux | | Baby-Face Bias | Baby-like features elicit perceptions of innocence and honesty | Guides character design and branding elements | #psychology #design #branding | | Biophilia Effect | Nature-rich environments reduce stress and enhance focus | Informs environmental and interface design | #design #psychology #environment | | Cathedral Effect | High ceilings promote creativity; low ceilings promote focus | Guides spatial design for different purposes | #architecture #psychology #space | | Chunking | Group information into smaller units for easier processing | Improves information architecture and content organization | #ux #information #cognition | | Classical Conditioning | Pair a stimulus with a response to influence behavior | Shapes user behavior through consistent design patterns | #psychology #ux #behavior | | Closure | People perceive incomplete patterns as whole | Creates engaging visual elements with minimal detail | #design #perception #gestalt | | Cognitive Dissonance | Discomfort from conflicting thoughts motivates change | Guides user interface consistency and error prevention | #psychology #ux #design | | Color | Evokes emotional responses and aids understanding | Influences mood and guides user attention | #design #psychology #visual | | Common Fate | Elements moving in the same direction are grouped together | Creates visual relationships through animation and movement | #design #animation #gestalt | | Comparison | Highlight differences to clarify understanding | Helps users make informed decisions | #ux #information #decision-making | | Confirmation | Affirm expectations to increase user confidence | Provides feedback and validates user actions | #ux #interaction #feedback | | Consistency | Uniform design elements improve usability | Creates predictable and learnable interfaces | #design #ux #usability | | Constancy | Perception remains consistent despite environmental changes | Ensures design works across different contexts | #design #perception #adaptation | | Constraint | Limit actions to prevent errors and guide behavior | Prevents user errors and guides correct usage | #ux #interaction #safety | | Control | Balance automation and manual user control | Optimizes user autonomy and system assistance | #ux #interaction #automation | | Convergence | Align elements to emphasize relatedness | Creates visual hierarchies and relationships | #design #layout #visual | | Cost-Benefit | Optimize trade-offs between value and cost | Guides design decisions and feature prioritization | #strategy #design #business | | Defensible Space | Design spaces to promote safety and ownership | Creates comfortable and secure environments | #architecture #psychology #safety | | Depth of Processing | Information processed deeply is better remembered | Guides content strategy and user engagement | #psychology #content #learning | | Desire Line | Reflect natural user paths in the design | Creates intuitive navigation and workflows | #ux #navigation #behavior | | Entry Point | Use clear entry points to guide interaction | Helps users start and navigate processes | #ux #navigation #interaction | | Errors | Anticipate and mitigate mistakes | Prevents user frustration and improves usability | #ux #safety #interaction | | Face-ism Ratio | Visual focus on the face affects perceptions of personality | Guides image composition and character design | #design #psychology #visual | | Feedback Loop | Continuous feedback influences behavior | Creates engaging and responsive interfaces | #ux #interaction #behavior | | Fitts' Law | The time to target an object depends on its size and distance | Optimizes interface element sizing and placement | #ux #interaction #ergonomics | | Form Follows Function | Aesthetics should align with intended use | Creates purposeful and effective designs | #design #architecture #function | | Framing | Presentation influences perception and decisions | Guides content presentation and decision architecture | #psychology #content #decision-making | | Golden Ratio | Proportions derived from the golden ratio are aesthetically pleasing | Creates visually balanced layouts | #design #visual #mathematics | | Hierarchy | Organize elements by importance | Guides user attention and information processing | #design #information #layout | | Highlighting | Use contrast to draw attention to key elements | Directs user focus to important information | #design #visual #attention | | Immersion | Design environments that captivate and engage users | Creates engaging user experiences | #ux #psychology #engagement | | Iteration | Repeated refinements improve outcomes | Guides design process and improvement | #process #design #improvement | | Legibility | Prioritize clarity and readability | Ensures content is easily consumable | #typography #design #accessibility | | Mental Model | Users form representations to guide their interactions | Aligns design with user expectations | #ux #psychology #cognition | | Progressive Disclosure | Reveal information incrementally | Prevents cognitive overload and guides learning | #ux #information #learning | | Recognition Over Recall | Make choices easier by reducing memory reliance | Improves usability through familiar patterns | #ux #cognition #memory | | Storytelling | Use narrative to engage and communicate | Creates meaningful and memorable experiences | #content #engagement #communication | | Visibility | Ensure critical elements are visible and accessible | Improves discoverability and usability | #ux #design #accessibility | | Wayfinding | Help users navigate through environments effectively | Creates clear navigation systems | #ux #navigation #architecture | from [[readwise.io - Universal Principles of Design|Universal Principles of Design]] [[Mental model cheatsheet]] #mental-model #design #usability