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I’m Aram Andrasyan — and I’ve been working in design long enough to know one thing: no matter how many tools we use or how trendy the interface looks, the human brain doesn’t change. That’s why I’m always fascinated by the psychology behind design — what truly helps people understand and use what we build.

This time, I’m writing not just as a designer, but as someone who’s constantly searching for the balance between simplicity and function. Let’s talk about one powerful rule we all tend to forget.

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How Much Can We Remember? Think about the last time you had to memorize a list — a grocery list, a password, or even a short set of tasks. Chances are, you remembered only a few items clearly. That’s not a personal flaw — it’s human nature. Most people can only hold about 5 to 9 things in their short-term memory at once. This limitation is exactly what Miller’s Law describes, and it has a big impact on how we design products.

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What Is Miller’s Law? In 1956, psychologist George A. Miller wrote a famous paper called The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two. He explained that the average person can only keep about 7 pieces of information in their short-term memory. These are called “chunks” — little units of meaning.

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Let’s say the word “pencil” is one chunk. But if you mix the letters — “nceipl” — your brain sees six separate pieces. The way information is grouped makes a big difference in how we process it. That’s why chunking is such a key part of good UX design.

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The Golden Rule in UX Here’s the simple rule:

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Don’t put more than 9 pieces of information in front of users at once. 5 is even better.

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When you add too many features, buttons, or categories, the brain can’t handle it. This is especially hard for new users who haven’t had time to get used to the product. It creates confusion, slows people down, and leads to frustration.

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Even big tech companies break this rule — Facebook, Google, WordPress — and their products suffer from it.

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Less Really Is More As your product grows, it gets harder to keep everything simple. But planning for that from the beginning is essential. Otherwise, every new feature starts to feel like a patch on top of an already complicated system.

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Miller’s Law also connects to something called the serial position effect — people tend to remember the first and last items in a list best. That means the order of your content matters. Put the most important stuff at the beginning and end.

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Not Just UX — It’s About Life Too Miller’s Law doesn’t only apply to apps or websites. It applies to your work, your tools, even your schedule. Are you juggling too many tasks? Using too many tools? Giving your team too much to handle?

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If yes, you’re probably facing cognitive overload. Your brain can’t keep track of it all. This is where the Pareto principle comes in — 80% of results come from 20% of effort. Focus on what matters.

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Cut down the clutter. Streamline your tools. Let people focus.

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Focus Brings Flow Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi came up with the concept of “flow” — the state where you’re fully focused and performing at your best. The fastest way to break flow? Too many distractions.

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More tools and more notifications don’t lead to more productivity. They break your focus. So simplify. Not just for your users, but for yourself and your team.

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Try These Changes Today

• Turn off non-essential notifications
• Delete tools you don’t use
• Use one main platform for communication
• Organize information into small, clear categories

Remember, the brain works best with fewer, well-organized chunks. Whether you’re designing an app or leading a team, the lesson is the same: clarity wins.

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Final Thoughts: We live in a world filled with information. But more isn’t always better. Miller’s Law reminds us that the human brain has limits , and working within those limits leads to better products, smarter work, and a calmer life.

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Aram Andreasyan
Industry Leader, Design Expert

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