

Think-Time UX: Design to Support Cognitive Latency
Summary: Next-generation AI-UX design must deliver human handoff harmony, with seamless transitions between machine execution and user cognition that recognize people’s limited mental processing budgets across different time periods. Includes 23 UX design patterns that support cognitive latency. Design to support the different time scales of human cognition. (Seedream 4) My good buddy Steve Krug famously said, “Don’t Make Me Think,” as his rule number one for achieving usab

Jakob Nielsen
Oct 2327 min read


Metaphor in UX Design
UX metaphors help users learn new interfaces by transferring knowledge from familiar concepts. They bridge designers’ conceptual models with users’ mental models through analogical reasoning, mapping multiple attributes between source and target domains.

Jakob Nielsen
Aug 1428 min read


AI Storytelling: Aesthetic and Minimalist Design (Usability Heuristic 8)
Summary: A storybook that metaphorically explains minimalist design through pictures and a story. Storytelling is more memorable and...

Jakob Nielsen
Aug 74 min read


Gestalt Principles for Visual UI Design
Rooted in over a century of psychological research, the 9 Gestalt principles are essential for designing user interface layouts.

Jakob Nielsen
Sep 12, 20248 min read


Does AI Numb the Brain?
Will AI turn our brains to mush? History suggests otherwise. New tech always sparks fears of cognitive decline. But AI will free our minds.

Jakob Nielsen
Mar 20, 20245 min read


Infant Screen Use Leads to Reduced Cognitive Skills at Ages 4 & 9
Study of children over time raises a cautionary flag: screen use at 12 months of age was correlated with a drop in cognitive scores at age 9

Jakob Nielsen
Aug 7, 20238 min read


Operant Conditioning in Generative AI Image Creation
Torment users with alternating emotions of euphoria and anguish as AI metes out sublime or disastrous pictures with wanton unpredictability.

Jakob Nielsen
Jul 25, 20235 min read


AI Makes Happy Geeks
Software developers who use AI-powered tools when programming experience greater job satisfaction and creative fulfillment.

Jakob Nielsen
Jun 29, 20235 min read


Generative AI Enhances Old Users’ Intellectual Performance Through Wise Winnowing
Juice the creative output of old knowledge workers with a wide range of AI-created ideas.

Jakob Nielsen
Jun 27, 202310 min read
