Jakob's Law | Leveraging User Expectations - 12Grids

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Jakob’s Law states that users prefer familiar interfaces. People spend most of their time on other websites, so they expect your site to work in a similar way. By leveraging design patterns that users are already accustomed to, you reduce cognitive load and improve their experience.

Takeaway

Users expect your website or app to function similarly to others they frequently use.
Familiar interfaces help users feel more comfortable and reduce learning curves.
Standardized design patterns (like navigation bars, and buttons) increase usability.
Introducing unfamiliar design elements may confuse users and lead to frustration.
Jakob’s Law is especially important in e-commerce, where familiarity can lead to quicker decisions and purchases

Origins

Jakob’s Law is named after Jakob Nielsen, a renowned web usability consultant and co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group. Nielsen is considered a pioneer in web usability, and his extensive research showed that users are more likely to engage with websites that align with their expectations. He famously stated that “users spend most of their time on other sites,” which means they come to your site with certain assumptions based on their prior experiences.