Fitts's Law
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
The time required to move to a target depends on the distance to the target and the size of the target. The farther and smaller the target, the longer the time required.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Design for access cost. It applies not only to UI (buttons should be large) but also to physical environments and management. If you want employees to do something more often (e.g., drink water, fill out forms), place the tool closest to hand (short distance) and most visible (large target). Adding slight physical friction can significantly change behavior.
Anchor fast decisions
Fitts's law states that the time to point at a target increases with the distance to the target and decreases with the size of the target, formalized as T = a + b·log₂(D/W + 1). It is a classic model for predicting operation difficulty in interface design.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitts%27s_lawverified
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