Adam Silver
@adamsilverhq.bsky.social
Designer with engineering background. I talk about designing products that are intuitive, accessible and delightful to use.
Design newsletter:
https://adamsilver.io/newsletter
Good Design Crash Course (free):
https://adamsilver.io/gdcc
Design newsletter:
https://adamsilver.io/newsletter
Good Design Crash Course (free):
https://adamsilver.io/gdcc
→ Users scroll through long lists, often missing the message they want
→ They're frustrated and expect some kind of grouping
→ Different users have different mental models
Richer research = better design
→ They're frustrated and expect some kind of grouping
→ Different users have different mental models
Richer research = better design
November 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
→ Users scroll through long lists, often missing the message they want
→ They're frustrated and expect some kind of grouping
→ Different users have different mental models
Richer research = better design
→ They're frustrated and expect some kind of grouping
→ Different users have different mental models
Richer research = better design
• Goals
• Behaviours
• Emotions
• Mental models
• Pain points
• Contexts
• Tasks
So instead of ending up with a bunch of these:
→ As a user
→ I need to find messages
→ So I can respond quickly
You’ll end up with a bunch of these:
• Behaviours
• Emotions
• Mental models
• Pain points
• Contexts
• Tasks
So instead of ending up with a bunch of these:
→ As a user
→ I need to find messages
→ So I can respond quickly
You’ll end up with a bunch of these:
November 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
• Goals
• Behaviours
• Emotions
• Mental models
• Pain points
• Contexts
• Tasks
So instead of ending up with a bunch of these:
→ As a user
→ I need to find messages
→ So I can respond quickly
You’ll end up with a bunch of these:
• Behaviours
• Emotions
• Mental models
• Pain points
• Contexts
• Tasks
So instead of ending up with a bunch of these:
→ As a user
→ I need to find messages
→ So I can respond quickly
You’ll end up with a bunch of these:
(7) It's reductive - squashes the complexity of human behaviour into one narrow concept
I’ve seen all of these issues too.
So what do you do instead?
Will suggests documenting what you actually observe:
I’ve seen all of these issues too.
So what do you do instead?
Will suggests documenting what you actually observe:
November 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
(7) It's reductive - squashes the complexity of human behaviour into one narrow concept
I’ve seen all of these issues too.
So what do you do instead?
Will suggests documenting what you actually observe:
I’ve seen all of these issues too.
So what do you do instead?
Will suggests documenting what you actually observe:
(5) People try to create databases of them - as if you can catalog all needs and design from that
(6) The format lacks richness - emotions, mental models, and beliefs don't fit neatly into "As a user, I need..."
(6) The format lacks richness - emotions, mental models, and beliefs don't fit neatly into "As a user, I need..."
November 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
(5) People try to create databases of them - as if you can catalog all needs and design from that
(6) The format lacks richness - emotions, mental models, and beliefs don't fit neatly into "As a user, I need..."
(6) The format lacks richness - emotions, mental models, and beliefs don't fit neatly into "As a user, I need..."
(2) People treat needs like collectibles, rather than understanding human behaviour
(3) Teams write them in user story format - confusing the problem space with the solution space
(4) It leads to wasted effort - chasing "user needs" for buttons, labels, and other trivial features
(3) Teams write them in user story format - confusing the problem space with the solution space
(4) It leads to wasted effort - chasing "user needs" for buttons, labels, and other trivial features
November 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
(2) People treat needs like collectibles, rather than understanding human behaviour
(3) Teams write them in user story format - confusing the problem space with the solution space
(4) It leads to wasted effort - chasing "user needs" for buttons, labels, and other trivial features
(3) Teams write them in user story format - confusing the problem space with the solution space
(4) It leads to wasted effort - chasing "user needs" for buttons, labels, and other trivial features
→ As a user
→ I need to find messages
→ So that I can respond to them quickly
Now you have many possible solutions to meet the need.
For example:
1. Search
2. Filter
3. Sort
4. Notification
5. Etc
Good UX needs clear user needs.
p.s. tomorrow, I’ll share something better than user needs.
→ I need to find messages
→ So that I can respond to them quickly
Now you have many possible solutions to meet the need.
For example:
1. Search
2. Filter
3. Sort
4. Notification
5. Etc
Good UX needs clear user needs.
p.s. tomorrow, I’ll share something better than user needs.
November 10, 2025 at 12:15 PM
→ As a user
→ I need to find messages
→ So that I can respond to them quickly
Now you have many possible solutions to meet the need.
For example:
1. Search
2. Filter
3. Sort
4. Notification
5. Etc
Good UX needs clear user needs.
p.s. tomorrow, I’ll share something better than user needs.
→ I need to find messages
→ So that I can respond to them quickly
Now you have many possible solutions to meet the need.
For example:
1. Search
2. Filter
3. Sort
4. Notification
5. Etc
Good UX needs clear user needs.
p.s. tomorrow, I’ll share something better than user needs.
Stop focusing on reducing clicks.
Start focusing on making content clear.
p.s. reducing clicks may be the result of good design, but it’s not the goal in and of itself.
Start focusing on making content clear.
p.s. reducing clicks may be the result of good design, but it’s not the goal in and of itself.
November 6, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Stop focusing on reducing clicks.
Start focusing on making content clear.
p.s. reducing clicks may be the result of good design, but it’s not the goal in and of itself.
Start focusing on making content clear.
p.s. reducing clicks may be the result of good design, but it’s not the goal in and of itself.
The result:
Users scrolling up and down, finding it hard to find what they’re looking for, clicking in and out of tabs etc.
If you want good UX:
Users scrolling up and down, finding it hard to find what they’re looking for, clicking in and out of tabs etc.
If you want good UX:
November 6, 2025 at 12:15 PM
The result:
Users scrolling up and down, finding it hard to find what they’re looking for, clicking in and out of tabs etc.
If you want good UX:
Users scrolling up and down, finding it hard to find what they’re looking for, clicking in and out of tabs etc.
If you want good UX:
...when the content and navigation is unclear, then you’ve got a problem.
I’ve seen this repeatedly in user research.
Here’s an example from the past:
→ Complex enterprise case working system
→ The screen showed a list of things
→ Each thing had so much information that it was split across 4 tabs
I’ve seen this repeatedly in user research.
Here’s an example from the past:
→ Complex enterprise case working system
→ The screen showed a list of things
→ Each thing had so much information that it was split across 4 tabs
November 6, 2025 at 12:15 PM
...when the content and navigation is unclear, then you’ve got a problem.
I’ve seen this repeatedly in user research.
Here’s an example from the past:
→ Complex enterprise case working system
→ The screen showed a list of things
→ Each thing had so much information that it was split across 4 tabs
I’ve seen this repeatedly in user research.
Here’s an example from the past:
→ Complex enterprise case working system
→ The screen showed a list of things
→ Each thing had so much information that it was split across 4 tabs
If you like, share one of your favourite form design rules below - the rarer the better.
November 4, 2025 at 12:15 PM
If you like, share one of your favourite form design rules below - the rarer the better.
if you don’t know this, then the pause time goes up and it increases the risk of abandonment.
October 30, 2025 at 5:03 PM
if you don’t know this, then the pause time goes up and it increases the risk of abandonment.
Here is an example of what I mean by Pause Time.
Imagine you are checking out on Amazon, and at the end just before checking out you want to know exactly what you’re buying (did you pick the right colour or size) and when it is arriving and what the return policy iszzz
Imagine you are checking out on Amazon, and at the end just before checking out you want to know exactly what you’re buying (did you pick the right colour or size) and when it is arriving and what the return policy iszzz
October 30, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Here is an example of what I mean by Pause Time.
Imagine you are checking out on Amazon, and at the end just before checking out you want to know exactly what you’re buying (did you pick the right colour or size) and when it is arriving and what the return policy iszzz
Imagine you are checking out on Amazon, and at the end just before checking out you want to know exactly what you’re buying (did you pick the right colour or size) and when it is arriving and what the return policy iszzz
...So helping users recover from the lowest point in their journey is the difference between them giving up and continuing.
Over the next few days, I’ll break down these laws in more detail.
But in the meantime, let me know what you think, if you disagree or if there's a law I missed.
Over the next few days, I’ll break down these laws in more detail.
But in the meantime, let me know what you think, if you disagree or if there's a law I missed.
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
...So helping users recover from the lowest point in their journey is the difference between them giving up and continuing.
Over the next few days, I’ll break down these laws in more detail.
But in the meantime, let me know what you think, if you disagree or if there's a law I missed.
Over the next few days, I’ll break down these laws in more detail.
But in the meantime, let me know what you think, if you disagree or if there's a law I missed.
...is, the faster the form will be to fill out.
Law 3:
→ Users will make mistakes no matter how well your form is designed
It’s not that you shouldn’t do everything in your power to reduce validation errors.
It’s that even if you do that, users will still make the some mistakes...
Law 3:
→ Users will make mistakes no matter how well your form is designed
It’s not that you shouldn’t do everything in your power to reduce validation errors.
It’s that even if you do that, users will still make the some mistakes...
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
...is, the faster the form will be to fill out.
Law 3:
→ Users will make mistakes no matter how well your form is designed
It’s not that you shouldn’t do everything in your power to reduce validation errors.
It’s that even if you do that, users will still make the some mistakes...
Law 3:
→ Users will make mistakes no matter how well your form is designed
It’s not that you shouldn’t do everything in your power to reduce validation errors.
It’s that even if you do that, users will still make the some mistakes...
...of the questions.
It includes reading the label, understanding the question and providing an answer (typing, selecting, uploading etc).
Pause Time is how long it takes you to check that your answers are correct and understand the implications of submitting the form.
The clearer all this...
It includes reading the label, understanding the question and providing an answer (typing, selecting, uploading etc).
Pause Time is how long it takes you to check that your answers are correct and understand the implications of submitting the form.
The clearer all this...
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
...of the questions.
It includes reading the label, understanding the question and providing an answer (typing, selecting, uploading etc).
Pause Time is how long it takes you to check that your answers are correct and understand the implications of submitting the form.
The clearer all this...
It includes reading the label, understanding the question and providing an answer (typing, selecting, uploading etc).
Pause Time is how long it takes you to check that your answers are correct and understand the implications of submitting the form.
The clearer all this...
...“on brand”.
Law 2:
→ Completion Time = Question Time + Pause Time
The time it takes to complete your form should be minimal. Because the longer it takes, the greater the chance of users getting pissed off, needing help or just giving up.
Question Time is how long it takes you to answer all...
Law 2:
→ Completion Time = Question Time + Pause Time
The time it takes to complete your form should be minimal. Because the longer it takes, the greater the chance of users getting pissed off, needing help or just giving up.
Question Time is how long it takes you to answer all...
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
...“on brand”.
Law 2:
→ Completion Time = Question Time + Pause Time
The time it takes to complete your form should be minimal. Because the longer it takes, the greater the chance of users getting pissed off, needing help or just giving up.
Question Time is how long it takes you to answer all...
Law 2:
→ Completion Time = Question Time + Pause Time
The time it takes to complete your form should be minimal. Because the longer it takes, the greater the chance of users getting pissed off, needing help or just giving up.
Question Time is how long it takes you to answer all...
If you follow them, it’ll become nearly impossible to design a bad form.
Law 1:
→ Nobody wants to use your form
They just just care about what happens as a result.
This is crucial to understand because it prioritise respecting the user over trying to make your form fun, engaging, novel or...
Law 1:
→ Nobody wants to use your form
They just just care about what happens as a result.
This is crucial to understand because it prioritise respecting the user over trying to make your form fun, engaging, novel or...
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
If you follow them, it’ll become nearly impossible to design a bad form.
Law 1:
→ Nobody wants to use your form
They just just care about what happens as a result.
This is crucial to understand because it prioritise respecting the user over trying to make your form fun, engaging, novel or...
Law 1:
→ Nobody wants to use your form
They just just care about what happens as a result.
This is crucial to understand because it prioritise respecting the user over trying to make your form fun, engaging, novel or...
I like Caroline’s a lot (surprise).
I would say go with that unless there's any issues with that from your point of view that you didn’t share with us initially.
I would say go with that unless there's any issues with that from your point of view that you didn’t share with us initially.
October 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
I like Caroline’s a lot (surprise).
I would say go with that unless there's any issues with that from your point of view that you didn’t share with us initially.
I would say go with that unless there's any issues with that from your point of view that you didn’t share with us initially.
• Design one version properly
• Learn what's wrong
• Fix it
This way you'll get clearer insights with less work and actually know what to do next.
• Learn what's wrong
• Fix it
This way you'll get clearer insights with less work and actually know what to do next.
October 23, 2025 at 11:15 AM
• Design one version properly
• Learn what's wrong
• Fix it
This way you'll get clearer insights with less work and actually know what to do next.
• Learn what's wrong
• Fix it
This way you'll get clearer insights with less work and actually know what to do next.