Video · ~4 min video

Recognition vs. Recall in User Interfaces

Raluca Budiu · Nielsen Norman Group Free Beginner

A short, clear video on why showing options beats making people remember them, with interface examples. If you prefer watching to reading, this delivers the recognition over recall idea in a few minutes. Good to share with a cofounder who owns the product.

  • Recognizing an option on screen is far easier than recalling it from memory.
  • Surface commands and choices instead of hiding them.
  • Reducing memory load is one of the cheapest usability wins.
Open on nngroup.com ↗

The question it answers

  1. I keep hearing "don't make me think" but what does that actually mean when I'm designing a screen?

Read with it

  1. Design tactics written specifically for developers and non-designers who need to ship good-looking UI without a design... refactoringui.com Book · ~250 pages Refactoring UI Adam Wathan & Steve Schoger
  2. The most accessible, practical intro to usability ever written, you can read it in a weekend and immediately fix your product.... sensible.com Book · ~200 pages Don't Make Me Think, Revisited Steve Krug
  3. The single most-cited usability framework in the field, from the definitive UX research authority. A checklist you can hold... Nielsen Norman Group Article · ~15 min read 10 Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design Jakob Nielsen
  4. The foundational text on human-centered design that every product person should read once. It rewires how you see every... jnd.org / Basic Books Book · ~350 pages The Design of Everyday Things Don Norman
  5. A crisp, visual reference of the psychology principles behind good UX, perfect for a founder who wants the 'why' without a... lawsofux.com Article · reference site Laws of UX Jon Yablonski
  6. This is the one principle that answers your worry head on: users spend most of their time on other apps, so they expect yours... Laws of UX Essay · 5 min read Jakob's Law Jon Yablonski (principle by Jakob Nielsen)
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