Hick's Law: The Overwhelming Choice of Dilemma

This Week:

Hick’s Law Through History  

Picture this: You walk into a diner with a menu the size of a small novel. You’re hungry, but now you’re stuck—overwhelmed by choice, paralysed by indecision. Welcome to Hick’s Law in action, a psychological principle that’s been quietly dictating human behaviour since the 1950s. Named after British psychologist William Edmund Hick, this law posits that the time it takes for a person to make a decision increases with the number of choices presented. It’s a principle that’s as intuitive as it is profound—why, after all, do we feel that crushing weight of indecision when faced with too many options?

In Hick’s own words: “The complexity of a decision increases in proportion to the number of available alternatives.” Simple, right? But simplicity often belies its true significance. Hick’s study, originally intended to help understand information processing, now finds its applications in everything from UX design to the way we choose what to watch on Netflix. (And admit it, we’ve all been there, scrolling endlessly through options, only to give up and re-watch Friends for the fifteenth time.)

“ The complexity of a decision increases in proportion to the number of available alternatives.”

— William Edmund Hick

Hick’s Law in Design: Less is More, More or Less 

In the world of design, Hick’s Law is like that one friend who always gives you good advice—never flashy, but always reliable. The principle has permeated every nook and cranny of design philosophy, becoming a cornerstone of user experience (UX) and interface design. Why bombard your users with a multitude of options when you can streamline their experience with a few well-curated choices?

Take, for instance, the iconic design of the iPhone home screen. Apple, in its infinite wisdom, gives you a grid of apps—just enough to keep you busy, but not so many that you’re overwhelmed. The minimalist design doesn’t just look sleek; it’s also a masterclass in Hick’s Law. The fewer the choices, the faster the decision, the better the experience. Now imagine if they crammed 100 apps onto that screen—chaos, right?

The same applies to websites. Have you ever visited a page so cluttered with options that you immediately felt a headache coming on? (I’m looking at you, 2000s-era MySpace.) Effective design follows Hick’s Law, making sure that users aren’t paralysed by too many buttons, links, or menus. Instead, good design gently guides them toward their destination, like a seasoned tour guide who knows exactly where to point your attention.

Creativity Meets Constraint: Two Surprising Examples

Haiku

Now, let’s step out of the digital realm and into the world of creativity, where Hick’s Law has played an equally intriguing role. Consider the art of Japanese Haiku. Yes, Haiku—those tiny three-line poems that somehow manage to evoke entire landscapes of emotion. The strict 5-7-5 syllable structure is a textbook example of how creative constraints can lead to breathtaking clarity and impact. Hick’s Law teaches us that when choices are limited, creativity doesn’t just survive; it thrives. The poet is forced to distil their thoughts, resulting in a purer, more potent expression.

Degustation

Let’s switch gears and look at the world of haute cuisine, particularly the trend of degustation menus. Here, chefs curate a limited selection of dishes, guiding diners through a culinary journey with just enough variety to excite, but not so much as to overwhelm. It’s the gastronomic equivalent of Hick’s Law: fewer choices, richer experiences. The Michelin-starred restaurant might offer a ten-course tasting menu instead of a sprawling à la carte selection, knowing that too many choices could dilute the experience. This is where Hick’s Law intersects with the art of storytelling—each dish a chapter, each bite a carefully chosen word.

How We Are Cognitive Applies Hick’s Law  

At We Are cognitive, we understand that the brain is a fickle beast. In our work with whiteboard animations, explainer videos, and illustrations, we don’t just throw a barrage of information at our audience and hope for the best. No, we curate the content—tailoring each piece to ensure that the viewer isn’t bogged down by too many choices or overwhelmed by complexity. By applying Hick’s Law, we streamline our storytelling, making it accessible, engaging, and, most importantly, impactful.

Take our approach to explainer animations, for example. Rather than overwhelming viewers with an avalanche of data, we focus on key points, using visuals to highlight and simplify complex information. The fewer the distractions, the more the message shines through. This isn’t just about cutting corners; it’s about sharpening the narrative to a fine point, ensuring that every frame serves a purpose. Just like in Haiku or haute cuisine, we understand that sometimes, less truly is more.

Hick’s Law and Our Four Pillars: Clarity in Complexity 

Hick’s Law is more than just a design principle—it’s a philosophy that aligns perfectly with our four pillars at We Are Cognitive: Inform, Develop, Enable, Animate. Each of these pillars is about making communication more effective, and Hick’s Law is the perfect tool to achieve this.

• Inform: We make data clear and understandable, stripping away unnecessary noise to ensure that the core message is front and centre. Hick’s Law reminds us that more information isn’t always better; clarity is key.

• Develop: Our visual instructions are step-by-step and precise, avoiding the paralysis of too many options. By guiding the learner through a streamlined process, we make complex ideas digestible.

• Enable: In our signposting and decision-making tools, Hick’s Law helps us create pathways that are intuitive and easy to follow. We don’t just present choices; we present the right choices.

• Animate: In leading hearts and minds, we use Hick’s Law to focus the narrative, creating emotional resonance without overwhelming our audience. Inspiration, after all, often comes from a single, powerful idea—one that isn’t buried under a mountain of options.

Further Reading: Decisive Moments in Design

To dive deeper into the fascinating interplay between choice and design, I highly recommend The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz. This book is a riveting exploration of how too many choices can lead to anxiety, paralysis, and dissatisfaction—a modern-day extension of Hick’s Law. Schwartz’s analysis isn’t just relevant; it’s essential for anyone interested in design, psychology, or simply understanding how to navigate the complex world of decisions. 

Schwartz argues that while freedom of choice is often heralded as a pillar of modern life, it can also be a double-edged sword. He presents compelling research and real-world examples to show how reducing choices can actually lead to greater satisfaction and well-being—a principle that resonates deeply with the ideas we’ve explored in this article.

Conclusion: Clarity Amidst The Chaos

In a world that increasingly bombards us with options, Hick’s Law is a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful choice we can make is to limit our choices. Whether it’s in the design of a smartphone, the structure of a poem, or the curation of a menu, the principle remains the same: simplicity is not about depriving ourselves but about focusing on what truly matters. It’s a lesson that applies not just to design, but to life itself—a call to cut through the noise, focus on the essential, and, in doing so, find clarity amidst the chaos.