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Krug's Second Law of Usability: Mindless Choices Enhance User Experience

Steve Krug's second law of usability stresses the importance of making each interactive choice as mindless and unambiguous as possible. Users are generally tolerant of multiple clicks if each click is clear and maintains their confidence in reaching their intended goal. This aligns with the concept of the “scent of information,” a theory from Peter Pirolli and Stuart Card’s research at Xerox PARC, which compares users searching for information online to animals on a hunt, following trails to their prey.

Key Points on Enhancing User Choices:

  • Ease of Choices: Users appreciate simple and decisive choices that do not required excessive thought or create doubt.

  • Scent of Information: Clear, well-labeled links that unambiguously indicate where they will lead ensure users feel confident that they are on the right path.

  • Efficient Navigation: Users are less concerned about the number of clicks required to reach their destination, as long as each click is straightforward and the loading times are reasonable.

Complex Choices in Web Design:

Despite preferences for simplicity, some choices on the web are inherently complex:

  • Forms and User Interfaces: Many websites falter by forcing users to make choices that are not immediately clear, such as selecting user types or navigating complex membership options without adequate information.

Reducing Complexity in Choices:

Where complex decisions are unavoidable, web developers should aim to assist users with minimal, timely, and unavoidable guidance:

  • Contextual Help: Usage of tooltips, inline help texts, and visual cues can significantly reduce the user burden by providing necessary information at the point of need.

  • Example of Effective Guidance: London’s street corners provide an excellent real-world example of effective user assistance. Signs reading “LOOK RIGHT” offer immediate, hard-to-ignore cues that aid both locals and tourists in safe street crossing.

Conclusion:

Simplifying the user’s journey by ensuring each decision point is as clear and effortless as possible enhances the overall usability and effectiveness of a website. When complexity is necessary, providing succinct and timely guidance is crucial to maintaining ease of use.