# Cognitive Tools - [Overview](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/overview.md) - [UX Laws & Principles](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles.md) - [Behaviour](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour.md): High-level rules for user adoption, motivation, and persuasion. - [Aesthetic-Usability Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/aesthetic-usability-effect.md): Users perceive aesthetically pleasing designs as more usable and credible. - [Campbell's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/campbells-law.md): The more any quantitative social indicator is used for decision-making, the more likely it will distort and corrupt the process. - [Fresh Start Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/fresh-start-effect.md): People are more motivated to pursue goals when starting a new time period (e.g., a new week or month). - [Goal-Gradient Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/goal-gradient-effect.md): A user's motivation to complete a task increases as they get closer to achieving the final goal. - [Hook Model](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/hook-model.md): A four-step process (Trigger, Action, Reward, Investment) for building user habits. - [Jakob's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/jakobs-law.md): Users prefer your site to work the same way as all the other sites they already know. - [Parkinson's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/parkinsons-law.md): Any task or project will expand to fill the time available for its completion. - [Peak-End Rule](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/peak-end-rule.md): People judge an experience primarily by how they felt at its peak and at its end. - [Principle of Commitment and Consistency](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/principle-of-commitment-and-consistency.md): Once people commit to a position, they are more likely to stick with it. - [Rule of Three](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/rule-of-three.md): Presenting information in groups of three is naturally more appealing and digestible to the human mind. - [Scarcity Principle](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/scarcity-principle.md): Items or opportunities that are rare or limited are perceived as more valuable. - [Three Pillars of User Delight](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/behaviour/three-pillars-of-user-delight.md): A model for designing products that appeal to users' instincts (visceral), feel effective (behavioural), and create positive memories (reflective). - [Concepts & Models](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models.md): Foundational terminology, psychological frameworks, and design disciplines. - [Choice Overload](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/choice-overload.md): The psychological state of being overwhelmed when presented with too many options. - [Chunking](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/chunking.md): The process of grouping related information to aid working memory and reduce cognitive load. - [Cognitive Bias](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/cognitive-bias.md): A systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment. - [The Sunk Cost Fallacy](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/cognitive-bias/the-sunk-cost-fallacy.md) - [Anchoring Bias](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/cognitive-bias/anchoring-principle.md): People tend to focus on a single, initial piece of information, which influences how they estimate value and make subsequent decisions. - [Authority Bias](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/cognitive-bias/authority-principle.md): People are more likely to be persuaded by perceived experts or credible sources. - [Cognitive Load](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/cognitive-load.md): The amount of mental effort required to use a system or understand information. - [Flow](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/flow.md): A mental state of energised focus and enjoyment during an activity. - [Mental Model](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/mental-model.md): A user's internal, compressed idea of how a system or product works. - [Selective Attention](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/selective-attention.md): The brain's ability to focus on one piece of information while filtering out others. - [Working Memory](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/concepts-and-models/working-memory.md): The cognitive system that temporarily holds and manipulates information needed for a task. - [Foundations](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/foundations.md): Core rules for usability, system reliability, and error prevention/management. - [Nielson's 10](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/foundations/nielsons-10.md): A set of 10 general rules for good user interface design - [Poka-Yoke Principle](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/foundations/poka-yoke-principle.md): Designing a process to prevent or correct human errors before they occur - [Postel's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/foundations/postels-law.md): Be conservative in what you send and liberal in what you accept - [Principle of Least Astonishment](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/foundations/principle-of-least-astonishment.md): A system's behaviour should be consistent and predictable to the user. - [Tesler's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/foundations/teslers-law.md): Every system has a degree of complexity that cannot be reduced, only managed. - [Interaction](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction.md): Visual organisation, system responsiveness, and the physics of user movement. - [Accot-Zhai Steering Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/accot-zhai-steering-law.md): Predicts the time it takes to navigate a constrained path like a curved menu or dropdown. - [Doherty Threshold](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/doherty-threshold.md): Productivity soars when a computer responds to a user in 400 milliseconds or less. - [Fitts's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/fittss-law.md): The time required to hit a target is a function of the target's size and distance. - [Hick's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/hicks-law.md): The time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices. - [Principle of Contrast](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/principle-of-contrast.md): Different visual elements should be clearly distinguishable from one another. - [Principle of Readability](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/principle-of-readability.md): Text must be easily legible and understandable for the intended audience. - [Principle of Repetition](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/principle-of-repetition.md): Consistency in design elements throughout an interface aids recognition and learning. - [Principle of Scale](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/principle-of-scale.md): The size relationship between elements should communicate hierarchy and importance. - [Rule of Thirds](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/rule-of-thirds.md): A compositional grid that suggests placing key elements along lines and intersections for visual balance. - [Gestalt Principles](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles.md): Rules describing how humans naturally group and organise visual elements to form a complete whole. - [Closure](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/closure.md): The mind perceives incomplete shapes or figures as being complete. - [Common Fate (Synchrony)](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/common-fate-synchrony.md): Elements moving in the same direction or synchrony are perceived as belonging together. - [Common Region](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/common-region.md): Elements within the same clearly defined boundary are perceived as a group. - [Connectedness](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/connectedness.md): Elements that are visually linked (e.g., by lines) are perceived as more related. - [Continuation](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/continuation.md): The eye is led to smoothly follow lines, curves, and fluid paths. - [Figure/Ground](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/figure-ground.md): The mind separates the dominant subject (figure) from the surrounding area (ground). - [Focal Points](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/focal-points.md): Whatever stands out visually will capture and hold the user's attention first. - [Parallelism](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/parallelism.md): Elements that are parallel to each other are perceived as being related. - [Past Experiences](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/past-experiences.md): Visual elements are grouped together if they have been previously associated together. - [Prägnanz](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/pragnanz.md): The mind tends to perceive and interpret ambiguous images in the simplest possible form. - [Proximity](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/proximity.md): Objects that are close to one another are perceived as being related. - [Similarity](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/similarity.md): Elements that look alike are perceived as belonging together. - [Symmetry (And Order)](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/symmetry-and-order.md): Symmetrical elements are perceived as belonging together and are aesthetically pleasing. - [Uniform Connectedness](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/interaction/gestalt-principles/uniform-connectedness.md): Elements connected by a line or uniform colour are perceived as a single group. - [Psychology](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology.md): Scientific findings on memory, perception, and cognitive biases. - [Availability Heuristic](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/availability-heuristic.md): People overestimate the likelihood of events that are easily recalled from memory. - [Halo Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/halo-effect.md): A user's overall positive impression of one feature influences their rating of all other features. - [Miller's Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/millers-law.md): The average person can only hold seven plus or minus two items in their working memory at once. - [Paradox of the Active User](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/paradox-of-the-active-user.md): Users rarely read manuals, preferring to jump in and figure out software immediately. - [Persuasive Design](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/persuasive-design.md) - [Serial Position Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/serial-position-effect.md): Users are most likely to remember items at the beginning and end of a list. - [Von Restorff Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/von-restorff-effect.md): An item that visually stands out from its neighbours is more likely to be remembered. - [Yerkes-Dodson Law](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/yerkes-dodson-law.md) - [Zeigarnik Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/ux-laws-principles/psychology/zeigarnik-effect.md): People remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. - [Universal](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal.md) - [Prioritisation](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation.md) - [6 Box Framework](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/6-box-framework.md) - [Eisenhower Matrix](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/eisenhower-matrix.md): Prioritise tasks based on their urgency - [The Pareto Principle](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/the-pareto-principle.md): Approximately 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort or features. - [Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort (RICE)](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/reach-impact-confidence-and-effort-rice.md) - [ICE Scoring](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/ice-scoring.md) - [Pendo Framework](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/pendo-framework.md) - [Prioritisation Matrix](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/prioritisation-matrix.md): Weighs potential value against implementation difficulty - [The Kano Model](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/the-kano-model.md): Prioritises features based on customer satisfaction - [Decision Matrix](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/decision-matrix.md) - [MoSCoW Method](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/prioritisation/moscow.md) - [Problem Solving](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving.md) - [5 Whys](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/5-whys.md) - [Abstraction Laddering](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/abstraction-laddering.md) - [Divergent & Convergent Thinking](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/divergent-and-convergent-thinking.md) - [First Principles Thinking](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/first-principles-thinking.md): Getting to the root of the problem - [Iceberg Model](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/iceberg-model.md) - [Inversion Thinking](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/inversion-thinking.md): Reverse your thinking to move forward - [Ishikawa Diagram](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/ishikawa-diagram.md): A key tool for root cause analysis - [Issue Trees](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/issue-trees.md) - [Occam's Razor](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/occams-razor.md): The simplest explanation or solution is often the correct one - [Productive Thinking Model](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/productive-thinking-model.md) - [Systems Thinking](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/systems-thinking.md): Seeing the Whole Picture: Navigating Complexity with Systems Thinking - [Zwicky Box](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/problem-solving/zwicky-box.md) - [Decision Making](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making.md) - [Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/cost-benefit-analysis-cba.md) - [Ladder of Inference](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/ladder-of-inference.md) - [Law of Diminishing Returns](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/law-of-diminishing-returns.md) - [OODA Loop](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/ooda-loop.md) - [PESTLE Analysis](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/pestle-analysis.md) - [Pre-Mortem](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/pre-mortem.md) - [Second-order Thinking](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/second-order-thinking.md): Putting a lens on the long-term consequences of decisions - [Six Thinking Hats](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/six-thinking-hats.md) - [SWOT Analysis](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/swot-analysis.md) - [System 1 & System 2 Thinking](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/system-1-and-system-2-thinking.md) - [The Cynefin Framework](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/the-cynefin-framework.md): A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making - [The Hard Choice Model](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/the-hard-choice-model.md) - [The Map Is Not the Territory](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/decision-making/the-map-is-not-the-territory.md): Well-planned strategies are still only an approximation of reality - [Leadership & People](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people.md) - [4 Worker Types](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/the-4-worker-types.md) - [9 Employee Types](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/the-9-employee-types.md) - [Circle of Competence](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/circle-of-competence.md) - [Conflict Resolution Diagram](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/conflict-resolution-diagram.md) - [Delegation Poker](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/delegation-poker.md) - [Dunning-Kruger Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/dunning-kruger-effect.md) - [Golem Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/golem-effect.md) - [Hanlon's Razor](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/hanlons-razor.md): Not everyone is out to get you - [Johari Window](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/johari-window.md) - [Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs.md) - [Minto Pyramid](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/the-minto-pyramid.md) - [Peter Principle](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/the-peter-principle.md) - [Pygmalion Effect](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/pygmalion-effect.md) - [Situation-Behaviour-Impact (SBI)](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/situation-behaviour-impact-sbi.md) - [Skill-Will Matrix](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/skill-will-matrix.md) - [Spiral Dynamics](https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools/universal/managing-people/spiral-dynamics.md) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://www.designreference.xyz/cognitive-tools.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.