Hick’s law — My daily learnings
My motive
Welcome to my daily learning journey blog! I’m excited to share with you the insights and experiences I’ve gained along the way. While my perspective may not appeal to everyone, I believe that by keeping an open mind and considering my experiences, you can find something valuable that can have a lasting impact on your personal and professional growth. I hope that by following along with my journey, you will discover how it has the potential to transform your life and career. So join me on this journey with an open and empathetic mindset, and let’s see where it takes us!
“Before reading this article, keep in mind that UX is not an inflexible set of rules.”
Have you ever found yourself staring at a menu, trying to decide what to order, only to end up feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available? Or maybe you’ve been shopping for a new phone and felt paralyzed by the seemingly endless array of models and features to choose from. If so, you’ve experienced the phenomenon known as Hicks Law.
Named after British psychologist William Edmund Hick, Hicks Law states that the more options we have to choose from, the longer it will take us to make a decision. This principle, first proposed in 1952 and later expanded upon by American psychologist Ray Hyman, has been widely studied and applied in fields such as user interface design, marketing, and cognitive psychology. It highlights the importance of simplifying the decision-making process by limiting the number of options available.
So, why does having more options make decision-making so difficult? The answer lies in the way our brains process information. When faced with a large number of options, our brains have to work harder to evaluate and compare each one, leading to cognitive overload and decision paralysis.
This is where Hicks Law comes in. By limiting the number of options available, designers can reduce cognitive overload and improve the overall user experience. This principle is often applied in user interface design, where designers aim to present users with a clear and simple layout with a limited number of options, making it easier for users to navigate and find what they’re looking for.
In the world of marketing and advertising, Hicks Law is equally important. With an overwhelming number of products and services available to consumers, it’s more important than ever for marketers to simplify the decision-making process. By narrowing down options and highlighting the key benefits of their product or service, marketers can help consumers make a decision more quickly and easily.
One real-world example of Hicks Law in action is the famous jam study conducted by Sheena Iyengar, a professor at Columbia Business School. In her study, she set up a booth at a grocery store offering samples of jams. On some days, the booth offered a limited selection of six jams for customers to try, while on other days, it offered a larger selection of 24 jams. The results of the study showed that customers were more likely to purchase jam when presented with a smaller selection of options, supporting the concept of Hicks Law.
In today’s fast-paced world, where we are constantly bombarded with information, Hicks Law serves as a reminder of the importance of simplicity and ease of use. By limiting the number of options available, we can make decision-making less overwhelming and more efficient. So, the next time you find yourself staring at a menu or a product catalog, remember Hicks Law and simplify your choices for a better user experience.
Thank you for reading my article on Hick’s Law and for providing your feedback. I hope you found it informative and it increased your understanding of the topic. I look forward to continuing our discussion in the future.
