Simplicity by Design
In a world where technology constantly grows more complex, the most successful digital products share one crucial quality: simplicity. At Mylo Labs, our design philosophy centers on creating blockchain experiences that feel natural and accessible to everyone, including those new to Web3. Central to this approach is our application of Hick's Law, a psychological principle that profoundly influences how we craft user experiences.
Understanding Hick's Law
Hick's Law, formulated by psychologists William Edmund Hick and Ray Hyman in the 1950s, states that the time required to make a decision increases logarithmically with the number of choices available. Mathematically expressed as RT = a + b × log₂(n), where:
RT represents reaction time
n is the number of choices
a and b are constants that depend on the context
This principle explains why users feel overwhelmed when faced with too many options. As choices multiply, cognitive load increases, leading to decision paralysis, user frustration, and ultimately, abandonment of your product.
Applying Hick's Law in Web3 Design
The blockchain space presents unique challenges for founders and product teams. Complex technologies, unfamiliar terminology, and novel interaction patterns can create significant friction for new users. By applying Hick's Law, we transform these potential barriers into seamless experiences that drive adoption:
Curated Options: Rather than overwhelming users with every possible action, we present fewer, more meaningful choices at each decision point.
Progressive Disclosure: We reveal information and options gradually, as users need them, preventing cognitive overload.
Contextual Guidance: Options are presented with clear explanations and visual cues that suggest the most appropriate action.
Simplified Onboarding: We break complex processes like wallet creation into discrete, manageable steps with clear progress indicators.
Real-World Impact for Founders and Projects
This approach has yielded tangible benefits for our clients and partners:
Increased Conversion Rates: By reducing decision friction, we've seen up to 40% higher completion rates for key actions like connecting wallets and completing transactions.
Reduced Support Costs: Intuitive interfaces have decreased support tickets related to user confusion by over 30%, allowing teams to focus on building rather than troubleshooting.
Broader Adoption: Our applications consistently attract and retain users from beyond the typical crypto-native audience, expanding your total addressable market.
Faster Time-to-Value: Users understand and extract value from your product more quickly, reducing the time from first use to "aha moment."
Beyond Simplification: Finding the Sweet Spot
It's important to note that Hick's Law doesn't suggest eliminating choices entirely. The relationship is logarithmic, not linear, meaning the impact of additional options diminishes as the number increases. The goal isn't to create oversimplified products, but to find the optimal balance between functionality and usability.
At Mylo Labs, we use a combination of user research, behavioral analytics, and iterative testing to determine the ideal number of options for each interaction. This data-driven approach ensures we're not just simplifying for simplicity's sake, but creating experiences that genuinely empower users while still delivering the full power of your blockchain technology.
Conclusion: Competitive Advantage Through Simplicity
In an industry racing to add features and capabilities, we believe that thoughtful reduction is often the path to better products and business outcomes. By embracing Hick's Law and focusing on meaningful simplicity, we help founders and teams create Web3 products that stand out in a crowded market and drive real user adoption.
Ready to create blockchain experiences that feel intuitive and accessible to your target users?
