The Answers to 118 UX Quiz Questions

Summary: These are the answers to the “Big UX Quiz” that Jakob Nielsen published last week.

Last week, I published an unusually large UX quiz with 118 questions. If you haven’t already attempted to answer the questions, STOP NOW and click the link. Do not read any further, because seeing the answers will ruin the fun.

Last week: Questions. This week: Answers. Let’s go! (Reve)

Hopefully, you wrote down your answers to the questions before peeking at the answers. If you did, you should consider yourself a UX genius if you got 100 questions or more right. Many of the questions were fairly easy, so beginners would have a chance to get some right. Others were a bit obscure, but to truly call yourself a UX expert, you also have to know most of the obscure issues because they do pop up from time to time.

If you got at least 100 answers correct, you are a UX Champ! (Ideogram)

The Answers

Question 1: What is the name for a set of response options in a survey where each item is labeled with a name or number, but there is no order for these labels, so we cannot say that one label is bigger than another?

Correct answer: B) Nominal scale

Question 2: Which of the following best describes the relationship between User Experience (UX) and Usability?

Correct answer: C) Usability is a component of UX, focusing on learnability, efficiency, and satisfaction within a specific context of use.

Question 3: The "Paradox of Choice" in UX design suggests that:

Correct answer: B) Users are more likely to be satisfied with a product when they have fewer, well-curated choices.

Question 4: In a usability test, what is the primary purpose of the "think aloud" protocol?

Correct answer: D) To gain insight into the user's thought processes, motivations, and frustrations while interacting with the system.

Question 5: The "serial position effect" suggests that users tend to best remember:

Correct answer: B) Items at the beginning and end of a list.

Question 6: The "Gestalt Principles" in visual design are primarily concerned with:

Correct answer: C) The way humans perceive and organize visual elements into meaningful wholes.

Question 7: What is the primary goal of conducting a "heuristic evaluation"?

Correct answer: B) To identify potential usability problems based on established design principles and guidelines.

Question 8: A/B testing is a valuable technique in UX research because it allows designers to:

Correct answer: B) Compare two versions of a design element to determine which performs better with users.

Question 9: The "Zeigarnik effect" in UX design suggests that:Correct answer: B) Users remember incomplete tasks better than completed onesExplanation: The Zeigarnik effect suggests that people remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones. This has implications for progress indicators, save states, and task completion in interface design.

Question 10: "Mental models" are important in UX design because:

Correct answer: A) They help designers predict user behavior based on users' existing knowledge and expectations.

Question 11: What is the key principle behind "Gestalt Law of Common Region"?

Correct answer: B) Elements tend to be perceived as grouped if they share an area with a clear boundary.

Question 12: When conducting user research, why is it important to consider both qualitative and quantitative data?

Correct answer: C) Quantitative data provides statistical insights, while qualitative data provides context and understanding of user motivations.

Question 13: In the context of accessibility, what does "WCAG" stand for?

Correct answer: A) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Question 14: The “Double Diamond” process in design generally highlights:

Correct answer: C) Two distinct phases of divergent thinking to explore many ideas, followed by convergent thinking to refine solutions.

Question 15: A "card sorting" exercise is primarily used to:

Correct answer: B) Understand how users categorize information and to inform the design of information architecture.

Question 16: Which of these best explains the concept of "cognitive load" in UX design?

Correct answer: A) The amount of mental effort required to use a product or interface.

Question 17: What is the main advantage of using a "participatory design" approach?

Correct answer: C) It ensures that the final product meets the needs and expectations of the users by involving them in the design process.

Question 18: "Dark patterns" in UX design refer to:

Correct answer: D) Deceptive design techniques that manipulate users into taking actions they might not otherwise take.

Question 19: When designing for mobile interfaces, why is "thumb zone" consideration important

Correct answer: B) It ensures that interactive elements are placed within easy reach of the user's thumb.

Question 20: In a user interview, what is the primary purpose of asking "open-ended" questions?

Correct answer: B) To encourage users to elaborate on their experiences and perspectives in their own words.

Question 21: Which of the following is the most significant difference between user interface (UI) design and user experience (UX) design?

Correct answer: A) UI design focuses on the visual elements and interactivity, while UX design encompasses a broader range of considerations, including user research, information architecture, and usability.

Question 22: "Progressive disclosure" is a UX design technique that involves:

Correct answer: B) Gradually introducing complexity by showing only essential information initially and revealing more details as needed.

Question 23: Which of the following research methods is most suitable for understanding the context in which a product will be used?

Correct answer: D) Ethnographic studies

Question 24: What is the primary purpose of a "customer journey map"?

Correct answer: B) To visualize the steps a user takes to achieve a goal, including their emotions and pain points.

Question 25: In UX design, what does the acronym "IA" stand for?

Correct answer: C) Information Architecture

Question 26: A product team is developing a new feature for an existing product. What is the best approach to ensure the feature is useful to the largest number of existing users?

Correct answer: D) Conduct user research to understand the most common user needs and pain points, then design a solution that addresses them effectively.

Explanation: User research helps to prioritize features that provide the most value to the majority of users, avoiding feature bloat and complexity

Question 27: What is the main benefit of using a "design system"?

Correct answer: B) It ensures consistency and efficiency by providing a reusable set of components, patterns, and guidelines.

Question 28: "Skeuomorphism" in design refers to:

Correct answer: B) The practice of making digital interfaces resemble real-world objects.

Question 29: What is the main challenge when designing for a global audience?

Correct answer: D) Addressing cultural differences in user behavior, expectations, and values.

Question 30: The "80/20 rule" (Pareto Principle) when applied to usability suggests that:

Correct answer: A) 80% of usage will be accounted for by 20% of a product's features.

Question 31: Which of the following error messages best follows UX writing best practices for helpful microcopy?

Correct answer: B) "Your file couldn’t be uploaded. Check your internet connection and try again."

Explanation: This message follows UX writing best practices: it’s written in plain language, explains the issue in a helpful tone, and suggests a solution (check connection). UX guidelines recommend error messages be human-friendly, specific, and action-oriented, helping the user recover.

Question 32: In product design methodology, what does the term "Minimum Viable Product (MVP)" refer to?

Correct answer: C) The simplest functional version of a product that addresses core user needs and can be released to gather feedback.

Question 33: Which practice contributes most to accessibility for users with visual impairments?

Correct answer: D) Ensuring sufficient contrast between text and background colors, following WCAG guidelines.

Question 34: What is the primary purpose of creating user personas in UX design?Correct answer: C) To represent archetypal users’ goals, needs, and behaviors so the design can be tailored to support them.

Question 35: Which of the following is an example of a dark pattern in UX?

Correct answer: D) A subscription page deliberately hides the "Cancel subscription" option, making it hard for users to opt out.

Question 36: A design team assumes that users will behave and think as they do, so they skip user research. Which cognitive bias does this illustrate?

Correct answer: A) False consensus effect.

Question 37: Hick’s Law relates to decision-making in user interfaces. Which statement correctly reflects Hick’s Law?

Correct answer: B) It says the more options a user must choose from, the longer the user will take to make a decision.

Explanation: Hick’s Law (also known as the Hick–Hyman Law) states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices (more formally, decision time is approximately proportional to the logarithm of the number of options). In practical UX terms, if you present a user with many choices (menu items, buttons, etc.), they will need more time to analyze and pick one.

Question 38:  Which design choice is a mobile UX best practice for touch interfaces?

Correct answer: D) Using sufficiently large touch targets (around 7–10mm, or ~44px) for tappable elements.

Explanation: Option B (relying on hover) is not viable on touch devices, since most touchscreens have no hover state (users won’t hover with a finger like a mouse). Option C (assuming users will pinch-zoom to hit tiny controls) is poor UX because the design should accommodate users without requiring workaround gestures. Therefore, making targets appropriately large and well-spaced is the correct best practice

Question 39:  Which of the following is an example of a forcing function (constraint that prevents misuse) in design?

Correct answer: A) A car’s ignition system that allows the key to be removed only when the transmission is in "Park."

Question 40: According to cognitive load theory, which design approach helps minimize extraneous cognitive load on users?

Correct answer: A) Organizing content with a clear visual hierarchy and chunking information into digestible sections.

Explanation: Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988) distinguishes extraneous cognitive load (the mental effort imposed by the way information is presented, which can be reduced by good design). By structuring information clearly – using headings, grouping related items, and presenting information in manageable chunks – designers reduce unnecessary mental work. This helps users focus on the actual task (the intrinsic load) rather than figuring out how the interface works​.

Question 41: In the context of UX, which interpretation of Miller’s “magical number 7±2” is most accurate?

Correct answer: C) On average, people can hold about 5–9 items in their working memory, so interfaces should avoid requiring users to recall or juggle more than that at once.

Explanation: Miller’s famous 1956 paper on the “magical number seven” refers to limits of short-term memory (roughly 7±2 elements). In UX, this is often applied as a reminder not to overburden users’ memory: for example, don’t make users remember long sequences of steps or lots of unrelated information simultaneously. It doesn’t literally mean every list or menu must have ≤7 items (Option A is a misinterpretation — it might be okay to have more menu items if they’re well-organized, because recognition from a menu isn’t the same as recalling from memory).

Question 42: In a certain app, when a user must enter a verification code, the app does not display the code on the same screen and provides no option to copy it, forcing the user to memorize it from elsewhere. This design fails which usability heuristic?

Correct answer: D) Recognition rather than recall.

Explanation: In the scenario, the app forces the user to recall a code from memory instead of recognizing it (e.g., by seeing it or copying it).

Question 43: In a form interface, several related fields are enclosed inside a visible box. According to Gestalt principles, this box causes users to perceive those fields as a group by the principle of:

Correct answer: C) Closure.

Question 44: Which challenge is more unique to usability testing a physical product prototype (e.g., a kitchen appliance) compared to testing a digital prototype?

Correct answer: C) Making quick design iterations based on user feedback between test sessions.

Explanation: Physical prototypes are often expensive or time-consuming to modify. If a usability test reveals an issue (say a button is hard to press or a device is too heavy), you might need to rebuild or physically alter the prototype to fix it, which isn’t as quick as modifying a digital design.

Question 45: What is the main principle behind "progressive enhancement" in web design?Correct answer: A) Starting with a basic experience and adding complexity for capable browsers.

Question 46: How can UX design practices be effectively integrated into an Agile software development process?

Correct answer: B) By conducting frequent, small-scale user tests or research activities in each sprint (or in parallel) to continually inform iterative design improvements.

Question 47: Which of the following is a user experience metric (as opposed to a pure business metric)?

Correct answer: A) Task success rate (percentage of users who can complete a key task successfully).

Question 48: According to ISO 9241-11, usability is defined by three key aspects. Which of the options is one of these aspects?

Correct answer: D) Satisfaction.

Explanation: ISO 9241-11 defines usability in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a specified context of use. Options A (learnability), B (memorability) are usability factors mentioned by other models (I include learnability and memorability in my usability definition), but they are not one of the three core criteria in ISO’s definition. Option C (accessibility) is a separate attribute (related to whether people with disabilities can use the system); accessibility and usability are closely linked, but ISO treats them separately.

Question 49: In physical product design, designers use anthropometric data to:

Correct answer: C) Determine appropriate dimensions and ergonomics by referencing human body measurements and variability.

Question 50: A stove has four burners arranged in a square, but its four control knobs are lined up in a row, confusing users about which knob corresponds to which burner. Which design principle is poorly implemented in this stove?

Correct answer: A) Natural mapping between controls and their effects.

Question 51: The Peak–End Rule (by Kahneman et al.) suggests that people’s overall evaluation of an experience is largely determined by:

Correct answer: B) The most intense (best or worst) moment of the experience and the very end of the experience.

Question 52: Which scenario is best suited for an A/B test rather than a traditional usability test?

Correct answer: A) You have two different designs for a homepage and want to know which one leads to a higher conversion rate (sign-ups) when deployed to real users.

Question 53: Based on Fitts’s Law, which guideline is advisable for interface design?

Correct answer: D) Ensure important buttons are either larger in size or positioned closer to the user’s likely focus/start point, so they can be acquired faster.

Question 54: Which statement about low-fidelity prototypes is true?

Correct answer: B) They are quick and inexpensive to create, encouraging early user feedback since stakeholders focus on content and flow rather than visuals.

Question 55: A team has a preliminary app design and wants to identify major usability issues before investing in coding, but they have no access to end-users this early. Which evaluation method would be most appropriate?

Correct answer: C) A heuristic evaluation conducted by UX experts using established usability principles.

Question 56: Research by Jakob Nielsen and Tom Landauer in the 1990s suggested that testing with roughly 5 users can uncover about what proportion of usability problems (for a given set of tasks)?

Correct answer: C) ~85% of the problems.

Question 57: Which of these is a summative usability evaluation (as opposed to formative)

Correct answer: A) After the product is fully built, a usability test is run to measure if it meets predefined UX metrics (e.g. task success rate, satisfaction scores) for sign-off.

Question 58: Which best defines the concept of “flow” in the user experience context?

Correct answer: A) A mental state where a user is completely immersed and focused on a task without conscious distractions.

Question 59: What is the primary purpose of a usability test in product design?

Correct answer: C) To observe how real users interact with a prototype and identify pain points

Question 60: When researchers say a design has high “affordance,” what do they mean?

Correct answer: B) It immediately suggests how it should be used based on its appearance and shape

Question 61: In Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics, which principle refers to giving users a way to exit or correct mistakes easily?

Correct answer: C) User control and freedom

Question 62: What is the central aim of iterative design in UX?

Correct answer: A) To refine and improve the product continuously through repeated feedback loops

Question 63: Which best describes a “cognitive walkthrough” in product design?

Correct answer: B) A step-by-step evaluation method where experts simulate a user’s thought process

Question 64: Which statement best captures the essence of “inclusive design”?

Correct answer: C) Creating products usable by a wide range of people, including those with varying abilities and contexts

Question 65: In user research, “contextual inquiry” specifically involves:

Correct answer: C) Observing and interviewing participants in their natural environment

Question 66: In a UX context, the term “onboarding” typically refers to:

Correct answer: B) The process of guiding new users through basic functions and setup steps

Question 67: When employing the Kano Model in product design, the “excitement” features are:

Correct answer: C) Unexpected but delightful features that can significantly boost user satisfaction

Question 68: The primary reason for creating “wireframes” early in the design process is to:

Correct answer: D) Focus on layout and structure without the distraction of final visuals

Question 69: In a design critique session, the main benefit is to:

Correct answer: C) Receive structured, constructive feedback from peers for continuous improvement

Question 70: “Information Architecture” primarily focuses on:

Correct answer: B) Organizing, structuring, and labeling content so users can find information effectively

Question 71: In usability, the phrase “error tolerance” generally refers to:

Correct answer: B) The ability of the system to handle user mistakes gracefully without severe consequences

Question 72: In the context of “Lean UX,” the primary goal is to:

Correct answer: B) Reduce heavy documentation and focus on collaborative, iterative user-centered design

Question 73: The concept of “design thinking” emphasizes:

Correct answer: C) A human-centered approach that explores user needs, ideates solutions, and tests prototypes

Question 74: “Heuristic evaluation” in usability testing involves:

Correct answer: B) Having a group of experts examine the interface against recognized usability principles

Question 75: Which best characterizes the key purpose of “task analysis” in UX research?

Correct answer: B) Outlining the main tasks users perform, breaking them down into steps to uncover obstacles

Question 76: “User delight” in product design is primarily achieved by:

Correct answer: D) Simplifying critical interactions and adding surprising elements that exceed expectations

Question 77: The concept of "cognitive mapping" in UX design primarily refers to:

Correct answer: B) Users' mental representations of how a system works

Question 78: When discussing “visual hierarchy,” a UX designer is primarily concerned with:

Correct answer: B) Guiding the user’s eye through an interface in order of importance

Question 79: “Affinity mapping” in user research helps a team:

Correct answer: A) Sort and group qualitative data to identify emerging themes or patterns

Question 80: In a design sprint framework, the prototyping phase aims to:

Correct answer: D) Build a rapid, tangible product example to validate ideas quickly

Question 81: In user experience jargon, an “interaction model” generally refers to:

Correct answer: C) A framework describing how users move between system elements and how the system responds

Question 82: The "endowment effect" in user experience suggests that:

Correct answer: A) Users value what they already have more than potential alternatives

Question 83: The "aesthetic-usability effect" suggests that:

Correct answer: B) Users perceive aesthetically pleasing designs as working better, even if they don't

Question 84: What is the key difference between summative and formative usability testing

Correct answer: C) The timing and purpose (evaluation vs. improvement during development).

Explanation: Formative testing is conducted during development to inform and improve the design process, while summative testing evaluates the final product against specific metrics or benchmarks. The key distinction is not in the methods or metrics but in when and how the results are used.

Question 85: When conducting a card sorting exercise, what is the primary purpose of "hybrid card sorting"?

Correct answer: B) To mix both open and closed sorting methods.

Explanation: Hybrid card sorting combines elements of both open and closed card sorting. Users can sort items into predefined categories (closed) while also creating their own categories (open), providing richer insights into users' mental models.

Question 86: The concept of "decision paralysis" in UX design refers to:

Correct answer: B) Users avoiding making decisions due to too many choices

Question 87: In the context of mental models, what is "gulf of execution"?

Correct answer: B) The gap between what users want to do and what they can figure out how to do

Question 88: What distinguishes "desire paths" in UX design from standard user flows?

Correct answer: C) They emerge from actual user behavior rather than planned design

Question 89: The principle of "recognition over recall" in interface design suggests that:

Correct answer: C) It's better to present choices than require users to remember options

Question 90: In the context of user research, what is the primary purpose of "diary studies"?

Correct answer: B) To collect longitudinal data about user behavior in natural contexts

Question 91: Which statement best describes the concept of "information scent" in UX design?

Correct answer: B) The degree to which users can predict what they'll find by following a lin

Question 92: What is the primary difference between ethnographic research and usability testing?

Correct answer: C) The natural context vs. controlled environment observation

Question 93: The concept of "satisficing" in user behavior suggests that users typically:

Correct answer: B) Accept the first reasonable solution they find

Question 94: What is the primary purpose of conducting a "jobs to be done" (JTBD) analysis?

Correct answer: B) To understand the fundamental progress users are trying to make

Question 95: The "Von Restorff effect" (isolation effect) in UX design suggests that:

Correct answer: B) Items that stand out visually are better remembered

Question 96: According to Fogg's Behavior Model, what are the three elements required for a behavior to occur?

Correct answer: A) Motivation, ability, and trigger

Question 97: Which of the following is a qualitative user research method?

Correct answer: C) Focus groups

Question 98: In Scrum, what is the role of the Product Owner?

Correct answer: B) To define and prioritize the product backlog

Question 99: What is the primary purpose of incorporating gamification elements into a product's design?

Correct answer: B) To increase user engagement and motivation

Question 100: How does augmented reality (AR) impact user experience design?

Correct answer: B) It blends digital and physical worlds, requiring consideration of spatial interactions

Question 101: Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, informally known as the “d.school,” which spread design thinking widely, was founded in:

Correct answer: C) 2005

Question 102: The hamburger menu icon (three stacked horizontal lines) was first used in the user interface of the Xerox Star system in:

Correct answer: B) 1981

Question 103: Windows 8, which brought Microsoft’s “Modern UI” (influenced by Metro design) to desktop, officially launched in:

Correct answer: B) 2012

Question 104: In which year did Apple release the first Macintosh, featuring a graphical user interface for mainstream consumers?

Correct answer: B) 1984

Question 105: Microsoft introduced Windows 1.0 as its first graphical operating system in which year?

Correct answer: C) 1985

Question 106: Douglas Engelbart’s groundbreaking “Mother of All Demos,” showcasing the mouse and early hypertext, occurred in:

Correct answer: B) 1968

Question 107: When did Apple first release a commercially available computer mouse alongside the Lisa computer?

Correct answer: C) 1983

Question 108: The first iPhone—often credited with revolutionizing mobile UX—was introduced to the public in:

Correct answer: B) 2007

Question 109: The Interaction Design Association (IxDA), a key community in UX, was officially founded in:

Correct answer: C) 2003

Question 110: Apple’s first iPod, which dramatically influenced digital music user experiences, launched in:

Correct answer: C) 2001

Question 111: The very first CHI (Computer-Human Interaction) conference, hosted by ACM, occurred in:

Correct answer: A) 1983

Question 112: Microsoft’s Windows 95, featuring the Start button and taskbar, launched in:

Correct answer: C) 1995

Question 113: Google revealed its Material Design guidelines, heavily influencing modern mobile and web UI, in:

Correct answer: C) 2014

Question 114: The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) launched the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), crucial for inclusive design, in:

Correct answer: B) 1997

Question 115: The Mosaic web browser, often cited as the first popular browser with a graphical interface, debuted in:

Correct answer: B) 1993

Question 116: Xerox PARC’s Alto computer, a pioneer in GUI concepts, was introduced in:

Correct answer: A) 1973

Question 117: Microsoft unveiled its “Metro” design language (later evolved into Fluent Design) with Windows Phone 7 in:

Correct answer: C) 2010

Question 118: Tim Berners-Lee’s proposal leading to the World Wide Web happened at CERN in:

Correct answer: B) 1989

Now add up your correct answers. If you got at least 100 questions right, you’re a UX genius. Lower scores are still great, but may indicate the need for you to study more if there was a specific topic where your wrong answers were concentrated. (ChatGPT)