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hicks-law

Apply Hick's Law to reduce UI choice counts using chunking and progressive disclosure.

23|4|Updated Jan 4, 2026
Search Tags:#onboarding#UX#decision-making#cognitive-load#information-architecture#hicks-law#navigation-design
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/flpbalada/thinking-toolkit --skill hicks-law
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: hicks-law
Source: https://github.com/flpbalada/thinking-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/hicks-law/skills/hicks-law
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/flpbalada/thinking-toolkit --skill hicks-law

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Hicks' Law provides a framework to speed user decisions by limiting the number of choices presented at once, reducing cognitive load and decision fatigue.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Quantitative guidance: Identifies optimal option counts (typically 4-7) to minimize hesitation.
  • Interface design patterns: Recommends chunking, progressive disclosure, and smart defaults to simplify flows.
  • Use Case: Apply to navigation menus, onboarding steps, and dashboards to improve task completion times and satisfaction.

Quick Start

Use the hicks-law skill to analyze a navigation menu and reduce the number of top-level items from 9 to 5 to speed user decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions about hicks-law

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I reduce cognitive load in navigation menu design?▼

Reduce cognitive load in navigation menu design by limiting top-level options to 4-7 items, using chunking to group related links, and applying progressive disclosure to hide secondary choices until needed.

What is the optimal number of choices for a UI onboarding flow?▼

The optimal number of choices for a UI onboarding flow is typically 4-7 equally likely options, which minimizes hesitation and decision fatigue while keeping task completion times satisfactorily low.

How does decision time relate to the number of options in interface design?▼

Decision time in interface design follows the mathematical model RT = a + b * log2(n+1), meaning reaction time increases logarithmically as the number of presented choices grows.

What's the best way to speed up user decisions in a dashboard configuration?▼

Speed up user decisions in a dashboard configuration by applying smart defaults to pre-select common settings, chunking complex forms into smaller steps, and reducing simultaneous options to lower decision fatigue.

Can I use progressive disclosure to simplify complex form configurations?▼

Progressive disclosure simplifies complex form configurations by revealing fields only when relevant, reducing the visible options at once and directly lowering the cognitive load required to complete the task.

Why does presenting too many options increase user hesitation in UX design?▼

Presenting too many options increases user hesitation in UX design because the brain requires more time to evaluate each choice, a delay described by Hicks' Law and calculated as RT = a + b * log2(n+1).

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