UX Design Principles

Evidence-based principles for building interfaces that are not just beautiful, but functional, intuitive, and accessible. Apply these when designing layouts, choosing navigation patterns, building forms, or making any UI decision that affects how users perceive and interact with an interface.

This skill complements frontend-design (which covers aesthetics and visual creativity) by providing the design theory layer -- the principles that make interfaces actually work well for users.

Core Truth

Users don't read -- they scan. Users don't think -- they recognise. Users don't optimise -- they satisfice. Every design decision must account for how humans actually behave, not how we wish they would.

1. Visual Hierarchy & Eye Movement

The Three Levels Rule

Every page needs exactly three distinct levels of visual emphasis -- not a continuum, but clear steps: