Serial Position Effect
Users have a propensity to best remember the first and last items in a series.
When to Use
Place important items first
Put the most important information or options at the beginning of a list or sequence.
Place important items last
Also consider placing critical information at the end, as users remember the last items well.
Minimize middle items
Items in the middle of a series are remembered least well, so avoid placing critical information there.
When to Avoid
Don't hide important information in the middle
Avoid placing essential information or actions in the middle of lists or sequences.
Origin
The Serial Position Effect was first studied by Hermann Ebbinghaus in the late 19th century and later refined by researchers. It describes the tendency for people to recall the first items (primacy effect) and last items (recency effect) in a series better than items in the middle. This has important implications for information architecture and interface design.