User Experience
Fitts’s Law
Also known as: Fitts's Law & Fitts Law
Plain English
Bigger and closer things are easier to click.
Definition
Fitts’s Law states that the time required to move to a target depends on its size and distance.
In practice
Used to design buttons and interactive elements that are easy to reach and use.
In context
It explains why the corners and edges of a screen are valuable. A pointer cannot overshoot them, which makes them effectively infinite in size.
The reality
Poor sizing and placement make glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term slower and more frustrating.
Compared with
Fitts's Law vs Touch Target Guidelines
Fitts's Law is the underlying relationship between size, distance and time. Touch target minimums are a practical rule derived from it. The rule sets a floor; the law explains why placement matters as much as size.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is Fitts’s Law?
It describes how size and distance affect glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term speed.
Why is Fitts’s Law important?
It improves glossaryUsabilityUsability is how easy and efficient it is for users to complete tasks within a product. It focuses on clarity, simplicity, and reducing effort so users can achieve their goals without confusion or friction.Open glossary term and glossaryEfficiencyEfficiency measures how quickly and easily users can complete tasks once they are familiar with a system.Open glossary term.
How do you apply it?
By making targets larger and easier to reach.
What happens if ignored?
glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term become slower and harder.
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