# Locus 1 example

###### tags: `psych-ux`, `ux`

## General Principles

1. Computers should not be bright shiny portals, they should fit into surroundings

* No computer or display should be more stimulating, more vivid, more beatuiful than real life 1. e.g. black and white = good, colourful display in 5k = bad
* THEREFORE eink!

2. Minimax presentation of information

* present the minimum amount of information that enables the maximum level of performance of the current task
* Never present information which is not directly related to the current task
* The only information allowed is information which is necessary for their task, without which they could not perform the task
* e.g. Microsoft Word focus mode = good; discord = bad, google chrome full screen, zoomed in = good, google chrome normal = bad
* Have a tab button on the keyboard
* Do your utmost to keep cognitive load as low as possible. We want our users to have as much cognitive resources as possible to focus on complex thinking. This translates into “always present the minimum viable amount of information on the screen”, such that they can still perform the task easily 1. e.g. typeform surveys = good, google form surveys = bad; apple notes in full screen = good, apple notes

* HOWEVER: very important to note, that it is not as simple as “reduce cognitive load wherever possible”
see, for instance studies which show that making text more difficult to read increased cognitive load which led to better memory of the text later.
so you need to strategically increase cognitive load when it is directed torwards outcomes that the user wants to achieve

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3. Computer use should be intentional

* Always focus on helping users achieve their goals. Provide gentle nudges to help them stay on task, but let them make their own choices, never force them to behave in certain ways 1. e.g. intention chrome extension = good, Facebook desktop notifications = bad
* Anti-attention economy. Users should only interact with the device when they explicitly want to and out of a desire to do something. They should not be encouraged to check for updates when bored, or to use the device mindlessly to generate attention economy. 1. Boring eink screen = good,