Eye-Scanning Patterns
Seven reading behaviors documented across decades of eye-tracking research — F, Z, Marking, Spotted, Layer-Cake, Bypassing, and Commitment.
Data Visualization
Ten common chart types — bar, line, area, pie, scatter, histogram, heatmap, treemap, box plot, sankey — and when to reach for each.
Nielsen's 10 Heuristics
Jakob Nielsen's classic usability principles — visibility of system status, match between system and real world, error prevention — with modern examples for each.
Grid & Hierarchy
The invisible scaffolding underneath every well-resolved interface — 12-col grids, baseline rhythm, golden ratio, and the techniques that direct attention.
Gestalt Principles
How the mind automatically groups what it sees — proximity, similarity, closure, common region, and the other rules of perception that shape every layout.
Fitts's Law
Big and close. Paul Fitts's 1954 law governs every button, link, and tappable region — and why edges, corners, and the Mac menu bar feel so fast.