Documented design principles
I was going through some old notes today and came across a note that I wrote exactly a year ago.

At the time, I was trying to create a more specific UX and Visual design system, and wanted to define my 10 most important design principles to build from.

10 UX Principles for EPRI

1. Simplicity
  • We should constrain our content to its most simplest form whenever possible. Allow the users to focus on the core purpose of the page. 
  • As we continue our transition to a responsive design system, A one column layout is easier to implement. It minimizes variation between viewports and is easier to develop for.
  • This is particularly important within navigation
  • Ockham’s Razor states that when in doubt, you should always choose simplicity

2. Color Uniformity / ADA Compliance
  • By using color sparingly, we can ensure that our calls to action are prominent and distinguishable form other elements on the page
  • Utilizing the UI guidelines assures that the elements utilized are ADA compliant

3. Keeping Focus - Hick’s Law
  • Hick’s Law: The time it takes for a user to make a decision depends on the number of choices available. The higher the number the longer the decision time
  • Reduce the number of calls to action and focus on the primary activity

4. Visual Hierarchy
  • Typography, color, and whitespace help users understand what is most important
  • Importance can be immediately perceived and understood in any language

5. Visual Recognition
  • Understanding what is Public and Authenticated has to be clear
  • Common UI elements have to persist throughout all of our applications

6. Larger Targets - Fitts’s Law
  • Responsive Design means users should be able to interact with with elements on a mobile device or touch-enabled platform
  • Form fields, buttons, click targets and links should be easily utilized in a touch-enabled platform
  • Fitts’s Law states that the time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target

7. Progressive Disclosure
  • Sequencing actions and information through a series of steps in a gradual way
  • Instead of confusing users with many options, focus on the necessary tasks they need to perform in the order they need to complete them
  • Minimize complexity and decrease a user’s cognitive load

8. Flexibility-Visibility Tradeoff
  • As the flexibility increases, the complexity increases, and the usability decreases
  • Concentrate on the key action and make it more prominent than everything else

9. Utilize Miller’s Law in navigation and lists
  • The Average person can only keep 7, plus or minus 2, items in their working memory.
  • Organize things in a group of 5-9 at a maximum

10. Evidence-backed Change
  •  We can’t make changes due to a single comment or wish, however, it should go through a process to see if it is necessary and beneficial before action is taken on it