What category does Hick's Law belong to?

Hick's Law belongs to the "Psychology & Mental Models" category in personal knowledge management and productivity.

What are the key topics related to Hick's Law?

Key topics related to Hick's Law include: concepts, productivity, psychology, user-experience.

What are alternative names for Hick's Law?

Hick's Law is also known as: Hick-Hyman Law, Choice reaction time.

Hick's Law

Decision time increases logarithmically with the number of choices available.

Also known as: Hick-Hyman Law, Choice reaction time

Category: Psychology & Mental Models

Tags: concepts, productivity, psychology, user-experience

Explanation

Hick's Law states that the time it takes to make a decision increases logarithmically as the number of choices increases. More options = slower decisions. In PKM, this means: too many folder options slows filing; too many tags creates choice paralysis; too many tools fragments attention. Hick's Law supports the case for simpler systems with fewer, well-defined options. Reduce choice where possible - have a default location for captures, standard templates, and clear criteria for organization.

Related Concepts

Paradox of Choice
Decision Fatigue

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