Fitts' Law
The time required to move to a target area is a function of the distance to the target and the size of the target.
When to Use
Make important targets large
Increase the size of frequently used buttons and interactive elements to make them easier to click or tap.
Place targets near the cursor
Position commonly used controls close to where users' cursors or fingers naturally rest.
Increase clickable areas
Make clickable areas larger than the visual element, especially for small icons or text links.
When to Avoid
Don't make targets too small
Avoid creating small interactive elements that are difficult to accurately target, especially on touch devices.
Origin
Fitts' Law was formulated by psychologist Paul Fitts in 1954. The law predicts that the time required to rapidly move to a target area is a function of the ratio between the distance to the target and the width of the target. This principle has become fundamental to interface design, especially for touch interfaces where target size is critical.