A-Z Popular Blog Design Search »
Design
 Advertisements
Related Guides
Design
top   »  information technology   »  coding   »  coding principles   »  principle of least astonishment

Design: Principle Of Least Astonishment

 , updated on
The principle of least astonishment is a rule of thumb that states that user interfaces are best when they aren't surprising. That is to say, that when a user first sees your design they aren't surprised by how it works. This lowers the learning curve for users and tends to generate positive emotions. When users need to invest in learning a design, they may feel that they are bending to technology as opposed to technology bending to them.
Overview: Principle Of Least Astonishment
Type
Design Principle
Definition
Designs are best when they feel intuitive and unsurprising.
Also Known As
Principle of Least Surprise
Related Concepts
Design Principles
Human Factors
Calm Technology
Intuition

Talent

This is the complete list of articles we have written about talent.
Area Of Expertise
Art
Character Building
Cognitive Abilities
Confidence
Creative Ability
Creative Traits
Creative Works
Creativity
Credibility
Data Literacy
Decision Making
Design
Design Thinking
Employability
Expertise
Gaming Skills
Influencing
Knowledge
Leadership
Meaningful Work
Personal Presence
Personal Resilience
Problem Solving
Professional Self
Professionalism
Public Speaking
Qualifications
Self Direction
Self Management
Storytelling
Strengths
Systems Thinking
Visual Design
More ...
If you enjoyed this page, please consider bookmarking Simplicable.
 
Cite »

Design

A comprehensive guide to design.

Color Theory

An overview of color theory.

Layout vs Composition

The difference between layout and composition.

Modeless vs Contextual

The difference between modeless and contextual user interfaces explained.

Types Of Design

A list of common types of design.

Design Process

The steps in a design process.

Design Quality

The common types of design quality.

Universal Design

A definition of universal design with examples.

Sensory Design

A definition of sensory design with examples.

Emotional Design

An overview of emotional design.

Elegance

The definition of elegance with examples.

Design Principles

A list of design principles.

Ban The Average

Why averages are counterproductive for design.

Fit For Purpose

A way to define the ideal level of quality.

Preserving Ambiguity

Overview of preserving ambiguity.

Form Follows Function

An overview of form follows function with examples.

Principle Of Least Effort

An overview of a common design and marketing principle.

Examples Of Design Principles

A definition of design principles with examples.

Proportion vs Scale

An overview of proportion and scale in design.

Learnability

An overview of common learnability principles.

Trending

The most popular articles on Simplicable in the past day.

New Articles

Recent posts or updates on Simplicable.
Site Map
Benchmarking
Business Analysis
Coding
Communication
Compliance
Networking
Computing
Creativity
Cryptography
Data
Design
Design Thinking
Governance
Information Security
Information Technology
Infrastructure
Knowledge Management
Management
Metrics
Organizational Culture
Problem Solving
Productivity
Project Management
More ...
© 2010-2023 Simplicable. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of materials found on this site, in any form, without explicit permission is prohibited.

View credits & copyrights or citation information for this page.

Home About     Privacy Policy     Cookies Terms of Use     Contact Us Search


Cookies help us deliver our services. You have choices regarding these cookies. Please visit our privacy policy, cookie policy and consent tool to learn more.


Copyright 2002-2024 Simplicable. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or translated. Report violations here.