Plain-language articles and a free course on the foundations of UX and design, for anyone learning UX or sharpening the skills they have. By Shirish Shikhrakar.https://ux360.design/en-usShirish Shikhrakarhttps://ux360.design/icon-512.pnghttps://ux360.design/https://ux360.design/peak-end-rule-ux/https://ux360.design/peak-end-rule-ux/The peak-end rule says people judge an experience by its worst moment and its end, not its average. See the studies, examples and how to design the last step.Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/choice-overload-ux/https://ux360.design/choice-overload-ux/Choice overload is when too many options make a choice harder. See what research says, when it happens in UX, and how to ease the load without removing choice.Sat, 03 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/loss-aversion-ux/https://ux360.design/loss-aversion-ux/Loss aversion is feeling a loss more than an equal gain. See how it shapes trials and warnings in UX, what the research really says, and how to use it fairly.Sat, 03 Oct 2026 20:00:00 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/survivorship-bias-ux/https://ux360.design/survivorship-bias-ux/Survivorship bias is studying only the people who made it through. See how it skews UX surveys and reviews, with a famous WWII example and a way to catch it.Sat, 03 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/curse-of-knowledge-ux/https://ux360.design/curse-of-knowledge-ux/The curse of knowledge is forgetting what it is like not to know something. See how it hides in labels and steps, with a classic study and a way to fix it.Sat, 03 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/default-effect-ux/https://ux360.design/default-effect-ux/The default effect is the habit of keeping whatever is already selected. See how it works in forms and settings, with studies and a fair way to set defaults.Sat, 03 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/common-region/https://ux360.design/common-region/The law of common region: a shared boundary groups whatever it encloses. Why it beats proximity, what counts as a boundary, and what every boundary costs.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/color-theory/https://ux360.design/color-theory/How colors combine: additive RGB and subtractive CMYK, the wheel, the harmonies, tint and tone, simultaneous contrast, palettes and the contrast floor.Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:40:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/negative-space-vs-white-space/https://ux360.design/negative-space-vs-white-space/White space and negative space name the same empty area. The difference is the job it does: one separates elements, the other forms a shape of its own.Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:30:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/pattern-in-design/https://ux360.design/pattern-in-design/A pattern is repetition regular enough to predict. What pattern means in composition, how it differs from repetition and rhythm, and where it fails.Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:20:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/scale-in-design/https://ux360.design/scale-in-design/Scale is the size of an element measured against a reference. What scale means, how it differs from proportion, and how to use it to build hierarchy.Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:10:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/repetition-design/https://ux360.design/repetition-design/Repetition is reusing an element so a design reads as one piece. Learn what to repeat, how it builds consistency and recognition, and when it turns dull.Sun, 13 Sep 2026 09:30:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/rhythm-design/https://ux360.design/rhythm-design/Rhythm is repetition at intervals that sets a pace for the eye. Learn the five types, from regular to progressive, with examples from real interfaces.Sun, 13 Sep 2026 09:20:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/hierarchy-design/https://ux360.design/hierarchy-design/Hierarchy is the order in which a design is read. Learn how size, weight, color, position and space set that order, with examples from real interfaces.Sun, 13 Sep 2026 09:10:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/contrast-design/https://ux360.design/contrast-design/Contrast is the difference between two elements that makes each one easier to see. Learn the six types, with examples, and how much contrast is enough.Sun, 13 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/white-space-design/https://ux360.design/white-space-design/White space (negative space) is the empty area between elements. What it does for hierarchy, readability and focus, with Squarespace and Apple examples.Thu, 17 Mar 2022 12:33:36 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/emphasis-design/https://ux360.design/emphasis-design/Emphasis is how you pull the eye to one part of a composition. Learn the techniques (contrast, isolation, placement, scale) with real UI and poster examples.Thu, 17 Mar 2022 10:33:59 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/movement-design/https://ux360.design/movement-design/Movement guides the viewer's eye along a path through a composition. Learn the techniques, from lines and repetition to actual motion, with examples.Sat, 22 Jan 2022 13:07:55 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/balance-design/https://ux360.design/balance-design/Symmetrical and asymmetrical balance explained. How visual weight works and how to check whether a design feels balanced, with an infographic.Fri, 21 Jan 2022 16:39:11 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/case-study-neue/https://ux360.design/case-study-neue/UX case study for Neue, an online clothing store designed for blind users: interviews, pain points, wireframes, prototypes and usability testing.Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:12:04 GMTCase Studieshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/case-study-flora/https://ux360.design/case-study-flora/Flora is an online flower shop for San Francisco and the UK. A UX case study covering research, personas, wireframes, usability testing and the final app.Tue, 18 Jan 2022 16:11:33 GMTCase Studieshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/variety-design/https://ux360.design/variety-design/Variety breaks monotony and creates visual interest. What it means, how it balances against unity, and how to add it with shape, color, size and texture.Sat, 04 Dec 2021 06:35:21 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/unity-design/https://ux360.design/unity-design/Unity ties every element of a composition together. Learn the methods that create it (proximity, repetition, alignment, continuation) with examples and a free infographic.Sat, 04 Dec 2021 05:30:17 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/proportion-design/https://ux360.design/proportion-design/What proportion means in design, how size and visual weight relate, and how to use scale to guide attention. Clear examples from apps, posters and architecture.Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:34:03 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/point-design-element/https://ux360.design/point-design-element/The point is the first element of design. What a point is, how points create focus, lines and patterns, and examples from typography, layout and art.Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:28:15 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/case-study-nutri/https://ux360.design/case-study-nutri/UX case study for Nutri, a recipe nutrition calculator app for a Cape Town restaurant: research, persona, wireframes, usability studies and final designs.Sat, 06 Nov 2021 11:53:27 GMTCase Studieshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/texture-in-design/https://ux360.design/texture-in-design/The types of texture in design (tactile and visual, real and implied) with examples from print and digital work, and how texture changes how a design feels.Thu, 04 Nov 2021 07:15:07 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/line-in-design/https://ux360.design/line-in-design/The types of line in design (horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved, implied) and what each communicates, with examples from art, logos and interfaces.Thu, 04 Nov 2021 05:16:36 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/closure-design/https://ux360.design/closure-design/The law of closure: why the brain completes missing shapes. Examples from famous logos and interfaces, and how to use closure deliberately in your designs.Tue, 08 Dec 2020 11:35:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/continuation-design-principle/https://ux360.design/continuation-design-principle/The law of continuation explains why the eye follows lines, curves and paths. What it is, how it differs from similarity, and how designers use it in layouts.Sun, 01 Nov 2020 14:25:00 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/similarity-design-principle/https://ux360.design/similarity-design-principle/The law of similarity: elements that share shape, size, color or orientation are seen as related. How it differs from proximity, with examples.Tue, 15 Sep 2020 11:59:43 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/gestalt-principles-design/https://ux360.design/gestalt-principles-design/All 11 Gestalt principles with interface examples and interactive diagrams, from proximity and closure to common region and Pragnanz. Free cheat sheet PDF.Mon, 08 Jun 2020 07:17:03 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/symmetry-design-principle/https://ux360.design/symmetry-design-principle/The Gestalt law of symmetry explains why balanced compositions feel stable. What it is, how symmetry and asymmetry create balance, plus web examples.Wed, 06 May 2020 16:33:25 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/false-consensus-ux/https://ux360.design/false-consensus-ux/The false consensus effect makes us assume our beliefs are more common than they are. Why it misleads UX designers and how research keeps it in check.Sun, 19 Apr 2020 05:51:21 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/anchoring-bias-ux/https://ux360.design/anchoring-bias-ux/Anchoring bias makes people rely heavily on the first information they get. How it shapes decisions and why marketers and designers should understand it.Mon, 13 Apr 2020 17:34:01 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/wabi-sabi-design/https://ux360.design/wabi-sabi-design/Wabi-sabi is the Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection. What the term means, examples in design and how the lifestyle shapes interiors.Sun, 12 Apr 2020 13:43:02 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/bandwagon-effect-ux/https://ux360.design/bandwagon-effect-ux/The bandwagon effect: adopting ideas because many others hold them. Why it hurts design decisions, how to avoid it and how it plays out on social media.Sun, 12 Apr 2020 07:48:11 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/selection-bias-ux/https://ux360.design/selection-bias-ux/Selection bias is a cognitive bias where systematic errors in sample selection skew results. Learn its four types and how to avoid it in UX research.Fri, 10 Apr 2020 08:25:41 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/confirmation-bias-ux/https://ux360.design/confirmation-bias-ux/Bias towards information that supports previous beliefs or experiences. Learn to avoid the confirmation bias for rational thinking.Thu, 09 Apr 2020 16:15:38 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/recognition-over-recall/https://ux360.design/recognition-over-recall/Recognition is easier than recall, so interfaces should show options rather than make users remember them. How the two differ, with UI examples.Sun, 05 Apr 2020 08:10:39 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/cognitive-bias-ux/https://ux360.design/cognitive-bias-ux/Here are the 7 types of biases every UX designers and marketers should know about. All of these biases can be used to our advantage.Sat, 28 Mar 2020 06:50:07 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/conformity-bias-ux/https://ux360.design/conformity-bias-ux/We change our behavior according to what is socially accepted at the moment. Here, we will go into detail how marketers use conformity bias.Mon, 16 Mar 2020 12:14:06 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/framing-effect-ux/https://ux360.design/framing-effect-ux/In this article, we are going to look at one of the cognitive biases: framing and how we can frame content to influence decision making.Sun, 01 Mar 2020 16:17:19 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/figure-ground-relationship-design/https://ux360.design/figure-ground-relationship-design/Figure-ground is how we separate a subject from its background. What it is, ambiguous examples like Rubin's vase, and how designers use it in logos and UI.Sat, 22 Feb 2020 08:41:41 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/chunking-psychology-design/https://ux360.design/chunking-psychology-design/Chunking breaks information into memorable groups. Where the idea comes from, why 7 plus or minus 2 is misread, and how to chunk content in interfaces.Mon, 13 Jan 2020 16:03:45 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/proximity-design/https://ux360.design/proximity-design/The law of proximity: things placed close together are read as a group. Proximity vs similarity, and how spacing alone can organise a layout. Examples included.Sun, 29 Dec 2019 11:56:42 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/legibility-vs-readability/https://ux360.design/legibility-vs-readability/Legibility is whether you can recognise letters. Readability is whether you want to keep reading. What each means, what affects it, and how to improve both.Sun, 22 Dec 2019 06:37:42 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/uncanny-valley-design/https://ux360.design/uncanny-valley-design/Why do realistic robots, mannequins and CG characters feel unsettling? An introduction to the uncanny valley, Mori's graph and what it means for design.Fri, 22 Nov 2019 14:52:59 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/common-fate-design/https://ux360.design/common-fate-design/The law of common fate says elements moving together are perceived as a group. What it is and how motion, animation and interaction design put it to work.Sun, 17 Nov 2019 16:01:13 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/alignment-principle-design/https://ux360.design/alignment-principle-design/Alignment is the simplest principle of good layout. The types of alignment, why edge alignment beats centering, real interface examples and a free PDF.Sun, 17 Nov 2019 05:29:21 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/affordance-in-design/https://ux360.design/affordance-in-design/Affordance means an object's physical properties suggest how it is used. What it is, why it makes products efficient, and how to apply it in UI design.Sat, 09 Nov 2019 11:27:01 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/accessibility-design/https://ux360.design/accessibility-design/Accessible design lets anyone use a product fully. Learn the four traits (perceivable, operable, simple, forgiving) with examples from Fortnite and Xbox.Sat, 09 Nov 2019 08:20:48 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/satisficing-design/https://ux360.design/satisficing-design/Satisficing is a decision-making behavior where users settle for a satisfactory solution instead of a better solution which would require more effort.Wed, 16 Oct 2019 11:57:33 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/80-20-rule-design/https://ux360.design/80-20-rule-design/The Pareto principle says 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. How to find the 20% of features users rely on and give them priority in your UX design.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 05:25:03 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/elements-of-design/https://ux360.design/elements-of-design/The 7 elements of design are point, line, shape, form, space, color and texture. Each one explained with real interfaces, plus a free printable infographic PDF.Sun, 08 Sep 2019 10:50:51 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/cognitive-dissonance-design/https://ux360.design/cognitive-dissonance-design/Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort of holding conflicting beliefs. How people reduce it, and how UX copy, branding, pricing and free trials use it.Tue, 03 Sep 2019 17:57:40 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/rule-of-thirds-design/https://ux360.design/rule-of-thirds-design/The rule of thirds divides a composition into a 3 by 3 grid and places key elements on the lines or intersections. Why it works and how to use it.Sun, 18 Aug 2019 10:01:02 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/cost-benefit-analysis-design/https://ux360.design/cost-benefit-analysis-design/In this article, we will look into how we can analyze our product by comparing cost and benefit. We will learn more about cost-benefit analysis in design.Wed, 14 Aug 2019 16:32:39 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/aesthetic-usability-effect/https://ux360.design/aesthetic-usability-effect/The aesthetic usability effect: people judge attractive designs as easier to use. Why it happens, what research shows and where form over function fails.Sat, 10 Aug 2019 15:37:49 GMTUser Experiencehello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/principles-of-design-and-art/https://ux360.design/principles-of-design-and-art/Repetition, rhythm, movement, balance, proportion, white space, contrast, emphasis, hierarchy, variety and unity, explained with examples and a free PDF.Sun, 04 Aug 2019 19:07:26 GMTDesign Fundamentalshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/usability-testing/https://ux360.design/usability-testing/Usability testing means watching real participants use your product. Six reasons to start, eight steps to run a test, plus DIY and remote options.Thu, 01 Aug 2019 17:12:39 GMTTutorialshello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)https://ux360.design/mirror-sketch-design/https://ux360.design/mirror-sketch-design/In this article, we will go through a workaround to mirror sketch designs and artboards on multiple devices in real time and also explore alternatives.Tue, 02 Apr 2019 14:02:26 GMTSketchhello@ux360.design (Shirish Shikhrakar)