◉LAWSOFUX · motion lab
Diagnostic instrument · NN/g 8 guidelines

Score the screen, then drill to the law.

A whole-screen rubric for ShurIQ Report Studio, the motion graphics studio, and intelligence-brief sites. Eight rules, each scored 0 / 1 / 3, composite out of 24. Ship floor is 18. Below 18, remediate; remediation moves cite specific cards from the laws-of-ux catalog so the chain from verdict to fix is traceable.

How to use. Walk the screen rule by rule. For each rule, read the pass / partial / fail criteria, mark the score, write a one-sentence evidence note. Sum at the bottom. If a rule scores 0 or 1, list the remediation moves from the cited laws-of-ux cards. Treat this page as a clipboard — the radio buttons are stateful only within the open tab.

1. Promote learning by doing

Source intent. Users prefer to act first and read documentation only on demand. Layouts should let users explore the surface without losing work.

Pass · 3
Primary action discoverable within 5 seconds of landing. Every destructive action has a visible undo or confirm. Live preview updates in real time.
Partial · 1
Primary action discoverable but requires hovering or scrolling. Some destructive actions are confirmable; not all.
Fail · 0
User must read instructions before they can act. Trying things produces irreversible loss of work.
Cards
doherty-threshold · mental-model · aesthetic-usability

2. Help users adopt more efficient methods

Source intent. Users plateau at satisficing and rarely become true experts on their own. Embed unobtrusive cues toward faster paths.

Pass · 3
Frequent commands surface a keyboard shortcut hint inline. Repeated patterns trigger templated shortcuts. Power features documented in-context.
Partial · 1
Shortcuts exist and are discoverable but not surfaced contextually. Some power features hinted at but not at moment of need.
Fail · 0
Power features require external documentation. Repeated multi-step sequences have no batched or templated shortcut.
Cards
goal-gradient · flow · pareto-principle

3. Provide flexible and fluid pathways

Source intent. Complex-app users have non-linear goals and need to move between subtasks without losing state. Avoid rigid linear wizards.

Pass · 3
Every step reachable from every other step without losing intermediate work. Visible breadcrumb. Save / pause / resume works at any point.
Partial · 1
Most steps reachable; some require backtracking through full sequence. Pause / resume works but loses some intermediate state.
Fail · 0
Workflow forces strict start-to-finish order. Abandoning mid-flow loses all work.
Cards
teslers-law · flow · zeigarnik-effect

4. Help users track actions and thought processes

Source intent. Long-running tasks and complex sensemaking strain working memory. Externalize that memory through annotations, comments, and timestamps.

Pass · 3
Open-ended notes / comments attach to any rubric dimension, gap card, or motion panel. Visible session log with timestamps. Auto-score reasoning is one click away.
Partial · 1
Comments work but siloed (e.g., on rubric only, not on motion). Action history exists but isn't human-readable.
Fail · 0
No way to attach notes to any artifact. Returning to paused work requires re-deriving prior reasoning from scratch.
Cards
zeigarnik-effect · serial-position · cognitive-load · peak-end

5. Coordinate transition among multiple tools and workspaces

Source intent. Complex-app users juggle many tools. Build connection points to the most-used external tools instead of fighting the ecosystem.

Pass · 3
Every artifact has a one-click export to its most-used downstream surface. Round-trip flows preserve state. No screenshot, copy-paste, or re-format between tools.
Partial · 1
Export works but round-trip loses state. Some downstream surfaces wired up; others require manual handoff.
Fail · 0
User must manually screenshot or copy-paste across tools. No path from artifact to consumption channel.
Cards
jakobs-law · mental-model · postels-law

6. Reduce clutter without reducing capability

Source intent. Complex apps must serve novice and expert users in the same surface. Use staged disclosure to keep capability without overwhelming.

Pass · 3
Default view shows only the 20% of features used 80% of the time. Advanced parameters reachable in ≤2 clicks but hidden by default. Hiding nothing breaks capability.
Partial · 1
Default partly decluttered; some non-essential controls remain. Advanced parameters reachable but require >2 clicks or context-switching.
Fail · 0
Default view shows every parameter, overwhelming new users. Hiding controls broke power-user capability.
Cards
occams-razor · teslers-law · pareto-principle · choice-overload · millers-law · hicks-law

7. Ease transition between primary and secondary information

Source intent. Not all info can fit on the primary surface. Make secondary info reachable without leaving context.

Pass · 3
Tooltips / popovers / expanders surface secondary info without page navigation. Primary view's state never lost. Secondary info loads in <400ms (Doherty threshold).
Partial · 1
Secondary info reachable but requires navigation away from primary. Loading takes >400ms but <2s.
Fail · 0
Secondary info requires opening a new screen, losing primary context. Buried in documentation outside the app.
Cards
doherty-threshold · mental-model

8. Make important information visually salient

Source intent. Visual search is expensive. Make critical info stand out — often by removing surrounding noise rather than adding emphasis.

Pass · 3
Single most important number identifiable in <2 seconds. Salience comes from removing decoration, not adding emphasis. Alerts use color + position + motion (not color alone).
Partial · 1
Important info identifiable but competes with surrounding decoration. Salience comes from added emphasis rather than reduction.
Fail · 0
User must scan entire screen to find headline number. Alerts conveyed by color alone.
Cards
von-restorff · occams-razor · pareto-principle · aesthetic-usability

Composite verdict

Sum scores. Maximum 24. Ship floor 18 (six passes plus two partials).

Total: — / 24 awaiting scores
24
Ship-ready, exemplary.
18–23
Ship-ready with minor remediation noted for next iteration.
12–17
Hold; remediate failed and partial rules before client share.
<12
Major rework required; reset and re-design from rule perspective.