Some laws define the User experience. A design can be a total waste if you don’t follow proper laws while designing. Three it is very necessary to follow them while designing anything. Therefore, let's dive into. First, we will see the 7 most important laws, and then we will look into how it is being used on the Amazon and MakeMyTrip Product Camp sites. Hurray!!!
Von Restorff Effect
It is also known as the Isolation Effect which is used to predicts that when multiple similar objects are present, the one that differs from the rest is most likely remembered. In design, you can make that important information or key actions more distinctive than others.
Hick’s Law
This is where how long to make a decision depending on how many and how complex the choices are. For example, when we have too many choices, it takes a long time to choose. Therefore, to simplify these things out, try not to make overwhelming users by highlighting the recommended options. Additionally, use progressive onboarding to minimize cognitive load. To simplify, apply the KISS principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid).
Fitts’s Law
Fitt’s Law is like Hick’s Law but it measures how long is the target will take to acquire based on its distance and size of the target. To get a quick response, you need to make it shorter from the user’s distance. For example, we often see a signup button at the bottom. Because the bottom is the shortest distance by the user’s hand.
Zeigarnik Effect
The Zeigarnik effect states that incomplete or interrupted tasks are most likely to be remembered. You could help the users remember certain uncompleted tasks by adding a simple progress bar.
Serial Position Effect
This effect states that the first and the last terms are most likely remembered. Placing the least important items in the middle of the list and the key information on the first and last series is a good rule of thumb.
Law of Common Region
Elements can be grouped together, right? Well, the Law of Common Region expresses that elements are grouped together when they share an area with a clear boundary between them. That’s why usually a border is given to distinguish several regions.
Law of Proximity
Objects that are near or proximate tend to be grouped together. Proximity establishes relationships and helps users understand and organize information faster and more efficiently.
I hope all these laws were quite understandable for you. Now, lets see how it is used in the website.
Now, let’s first see how some of the laws are being used on Amazon’s website🕺
Points to be noted
The section “Keep shopping ” shows the use of the Zeigarnik effect. Since an incomplete task is more likely to be completed, therefore, the user will be more likely to purchase that item.
We also see the use of the Law of the common region. Besides “keep shopping”, we can see that all the products are divided into certain categories. Ans all these categories have a well-defined boundary.
Point to be noted
At first, only a few choices are given to minimize the time. Most of the latest offers and deals are mentioned above so that a user would find it interesting to see what’s inside of them. This is nothing but Hicks's law.
Point to be noted
As this is a shopping website, apart from something different would definitely grab a user’s attention. The presence of the mini TV above and that too for the free would off course grab a user’s attention. They would want to know what's inside of it. This is nothing but Von restorff law.
Now, let’s move on to MakeMyTrip💃
Points to be noted
We can clearly see how large the “search” button is. It is easy to reach since the area is larger. Therefore, it is an example of Fitt’s law.
We all know @MakeMyTrip company as a holiday package booting platform, but it also provides other facilities such as bus booking, cab booking, etc. But ever wondered why we remember the site as a holiday packing booking? This is because when we move to the website, the most different among all of them are holiday packages. Hence it is most likely to be remembered by the users. This is nothing but the use of Von restorff law.
It is common in almost every website that same category things are divided with some boundary. Therefore, the Law of common region is also used here.
The only thing that I didn’t like here is that several things are kept in one place. For example, look at this image:
Here, you are seeing the same things on the navbar as well as below also. That’s the only thing that I found to be a little out of track (I may be wrong😅). Otherwise, the whole website looks good.
That’s all that I learned from the laws. Hope you like it.
With Love❤️
Aditi Jha
