*The average person can keep only 7 (*± 2) items in their working memory.

As I dive deeper into the world of UX design, I’ve been exploring various psychological principles that shape how we interact with digital products. One principle that particularly stood out to me was Miller’s Law, a concept introduced in the Laws of UX book. At first glance, Miller’s Law seems simple: the human brain can only hold about seven pieces of information in working memory at once. But as I reflected on this, I began to realise how profoundly this idea influences the way we design experiences for users.

What struck me the most while reading about Miller’s Law was how it pushes us to simplify the complex. As a student, there’s often a tendency to want to add more—more features, more content, more choices—thinking that users will appreciate having a variety of options. However, Miller’s Law made me realise that when we overwhelm users with too much information, it can lead to confusion, frustration, or even abandonment. By breaking content into smaller, more digestible chunks, we can help users focus on what’s important without overwhelming them. I realised that this is about respecting the user’s cognitive limitations, and as a designer, it’s our job to make sure we don’t push them too far.

Another part of the chapter that I found particularly insightful was the idea of the "magic number" 7±2. This range—five to nine items—felt so universal that it almost seemed like a natural rule. I thought about how often I’ve encountered this number in the digital world: navigation menus with around seven options, checkout forms that ask for only the most essential details, and even phone numbers grouped into chunks of three or four digits. It became clear that Miller’s Law isn’t just an abstract theory; it’s a practical tool that’s already embedded in the design world.

Reflecting on this made me think about my own experiences as a user. How often have I clicked away from a website because I couldn’t make sense of a cluttered navigation menu, or given up on a form because it was too long? It made me realise that we, as designers, are responsible for guiding users through a seamless experience, and that means respecting their cognitive capacity. Users don’t want to spend mental energy sifting through excess information—they want clarity.

After reading this chapter, I felt a shift in my approach to design. What’s interesting is that this idea of chunking information doesn’t just apply to menus or forms. It’s something I’ll need to carry with me into every part of the design process, from organising content on a page to deciding how many options to give users at each stage of an interaction. I’ve realised that user experience isn’t just about making things look good—it’s about making things easy to process and act on.

Miller’s Law has been one of the most insightful concepts I’ve encountered so far in my UX journey. It’s a reminder that design isn’t about overwhelming users with options or information, but about helping them navigate the digital world with ease. As I continue my studies and work on design projects, I’ll be thinking more carefully about how much information I’m presenting at once. Miller’s Law has shown me that simplicity isn’t just an aesthetic choice—it’s a way to respect users’ cognitive limitations and create more meaningful, effective experiences.