Nielsen's Law
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
The network connection speed for high-end users increases by 50% per year (slower than Moore's Law). This means that bandwidth is a long-term bottleneck for the internet experience. Since bandwidth lags behind computing power, "bloatware" and latency will persist.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Identify the system's bottleneck rhythm. In technology planning, one cannot assume that transmission capacity will improve as fast as computing power. Redundancy must be designed for "slow connections" because that is the real ceiling of user experience.
Anchor fast decisions
Jakob Nielsen proposed that the network bandwidth for high-end users grows by about 50% per year (slower than Moore's Law for computing/storage), making bandwidth a long-term bottleneck for experience. The mechanism is the unbalanced growth where "transmission capacity lags behind computing power."
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/3Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_Nielsen_%28usability_consultant%29verified
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