Video · 3 min video

Hick's Law: Designing Long Menu Lists

Katie Sherwin · Nielsen Norman Group Free Beginner

A short, practical take on when a long menu is actually fine. Hick's Law does not mean fewer items is always better, and this clip shows how grouping and clear labels keep a long list usable. Watch it before you gut a navigation just because it looks long.

  • Long menus work when they are grouped and labeled well
  • Cutting options is not always the right fix
  • Chunking beats hiding for content people scan
Open on nngroup.com ↗

The question it answers

  1. What are the psychology 'laws' behind good UX?

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