Occam's Razor is a problem-solving principle. It suggests the simplest explanation or solution—with the fewest assumptions—is often most likely the right one. It encourages designers to take out unnecessary complexity and focus on a design’s essential elements. Designers apply it to make intuitive and efficient user interfaces.
Occam's Razor takes its name from the 14th-century philosopher William of Ockham.
© Chris Simms, Fair Use
The 14th-century philosopher William of Ockham suggested that the simplest explanation or solution is often the one that’s most accurate. Because of its focus on direct simplicity and minimal assumptions, it’s been a driving force among a wide range of problem-solvers for centuries.
More precisely, this philosophical principle advises decision-makers to select the simplest explanation or solution when they face multiple options. An essential point behind the approach to choose the most straightforward solution is that thinkers should avoid making unnecessary assumptions. William of Ockham never explicitly formulated this principle. Even so, he frequently used a similar idea in his philosophical and theological work. The real essence of Occam's Razor goes back to the concept of "Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate." That Latin sentence means "Plurality should not be posited without necessity."
Occam’s Razor—clean simplicity in the modern age.
© Craig Barber, Fair Use
Occam's Razor plays a crucial role in user experience (UX) design and—more visibly—in user interface (UI) design. Because it’s about promoting user-friendliness and simplification, it’s a powerful asset in any UX design process—and the digital design of products or services. When designers work to create products such as web pages and mobile apps, they strive to stick to the principle of “sufficient to explain.” That means they ensure that their designs are intuitive, efficient and user-centric. From web design to app creation, Occam's Razor therefore helps prevent—or eliminate—unnecessary features. In its approach to ensure a well-solved problem, it enables designers to minimize cognitive overload and enhance the overall user experience.
Occam's Razor is a particularly powerful principle—and one that designers leverage to produce the following:
One of the key areas where Occam's Razor comes into play is for designers to create streamlined navigation systems. So, designers should avoid cluttered menus and convoluted navigation paths. Then, they can help to create interfaces that let users find what they need to effortlessly. Some well-known brands—such as Google and Airbnb—truly excel in this aspect. These brands use clean and straightforward interfaces that make ease of navigation a real priority.
Google’s iconic clean and minimalist look embodies the principle of streamlining.
© Google, Fair Use
Occam's Razor extends beyond navigation—it has a direct influence on the aesthetic aspects of visual design in digital products. When UX designers take minimalist design principles close to heart, they can focus on truly essential elements. Meanwhile, they reduce unnecessary visual noise. Brands like Apple are renowned for their minimalist approach. Apple creates elegant and user-friendly experiences—ones that prioritize core features and functionalities.
Apple’s iconic look is geared around minimalism and classy user-friendliness.
© Apple, Fair Use
Effective communication is vital if a designer wants to make a seamless user experience. One central part of Occam's Razor in design is how it puts an emphasis on clear and concise messaging. When designers apply it—and do it well—they make sure that users understand the purpose and functionality of an interface effortlessly. Designers should use straightforward language, not use jargon and give concise instructions—this makes sure that users understand and interact with their products seamlessly.
Airbnb gets the point across concisely in its highly intuitive design.
© Airbnb, Fair Use
Online forms are an integral part of many digital experiences. Occam's Razor can guide designers to create streamlined and user-friendly forms. Designers minimize the number of form fields, pre-fill information when possible and give helpful input validation. When they do this, they can lessen the amount of friction. They can also make completion rates rise.
The principle of Occam's Razor highlights how important it is to make communication straightforward and succinct. If designers prevent or remove cluttered menus and complex navigation routes—they can develop interfaces that empower users to easily locate the information they need. Typeform and similar platforms have streamlined intricate forms that provide seamless and user-friendly interfaces.
Simple forms enable users to get information across fast and with minimum work.
© Paul Capcan, Fair Use
A core part of the advice in Occam's Razor is that designers minimize their users’ cognitive load. So, designers should be sure they take out unneeded complex things and organize content and features in a logical and efficient way. This they can do if they apply thoughtful organization, make the information architecture efficient, create a clear hierarchy and include intuitive interaction patterns. Designers can tap into users' existing mental models, lessen the learning curve and give usability a boost if they use familiar icons and standard conventions.
An Occam’s Razor design generally features a uniformity in colors, fonts and icons throughout the interface. This helps keep things coherent. It also helps in the user flow and overall user and customer experience. What’s more, when designers apply consistent design patterns and standards across an interface, they line up with Occam’s Razor in terms of how it promotes familiarity and predictability.
The Occam’s Razor principle recommends that information in interfaces should just be revealed when users need it. For example, when users access one section of an onboarding screen, they only encounter the information necessary for that part of it. This doesn’t just reduce clutter and cognitive load—it also matches users’ expectations as they move forward.
Designers can stay one step ahead of and prevent errors through clear and concise instructions with this design principle. This reduces the need for troubleshooting—and it can take the form of—for example—a calendar date picker for booking tickets.
Calendar widget for selecting travel dates.
© UXPlanet.org, Fair Use
Designers should use clear and concise calls to action (CTAs) that guide users toward their intended actions without ambiguity. This is something that supports Occam's Razor—as it streamlines the user's decision-making process on the way to the goals they want to achieve.
PayPal’s simple and straightforward look helps users check out with a clear sense of trust and security.
© Radiant Digital, Fair Use
Designers should incorporate these tips into the design process so that they apply Occam's Razor effectively. When they use it as one of their centermost design tools, they can help create exceptional user experiences, ones that prioritize simplicity and effectiveness.
1. Know the users: Designers should do their user research thoroughly so they can understand the target audience's needs, goals—and pain points. This knowledge will help them design with simplicity and relevance in mind.
2. Prioritize clarity: They need to make sure that messaging and instructions are clear, concise and easily understandable. It’s best to use plain language and avoid any unneeded technical jargon. Clear communication lightens the cognitive load. Plus, it lets users navigate the interface more efficiently.
3. Prioritize essential elements: Spot the core features and functionalities that run in line with the users' goals. Focus on these elements and eliminate any extraneous features that could distract or confuse users.
4. Embrace minimalism: Strive for simplicity in visual design, typography and color schemes. Use white space strategically and take out any unnecessary visual elements to create a clean and uncluttered interface.
5. Simplify navigation: Streamline menus and group similar items for easy navigation. Cut down the number of steps users need to follow to complete tasks. What’s more, guide users through a clear and intuitive information architecture.
6. Test and iterate: Continuously test designs with real users. Get the feedback collected and find areas for improvement. Usability testing is a vital ingredient in the design process to see how users interact with a prototype or product. So, use insights from user testing to iterate with design team members, refine and simplify designs further.
The best designs speak clearly to users.
© 62 Management, Fair Use
While Occam's Razor is a valuable principle in UX design, it's important to consider potential risks and limitations:
If a designer over-simplifies an interface, it can lead to a lack of necessary functionality or usability issues. It's crucial to strike a balance between simplicity and meeting user needs. Continuously collect that all-important user feedback and iterate on designs—to make sure there’s the right level of simplicity without sacrificing functionality.
Keep in mind that how best to work Occam's Razor into a design project is something that may vary depending on the context and specific user requirements. What works for one user group mightn’t work for another. So, understand the user journey, cultural considerations and other fine-tuned aspects of the people to design for. Tailor the design decisions to the unique needs of that target audience.
Occam's Razor serves as a guiding principle to prioritize simplicity and elegance in designs and deliver seamless, streamlined, user-centric experiences. Don’t apply it blindly, though. In certain cases, designers may need more complex solutions to address specific user needs or intricate tasks. Carefully evaluate the trade-offs between simplicity and functionality to make sure that the design effectively does meet user requirements.
Overall, Occam's Razor serves as—and remains—an invaluable principle in UX design. It guides designers to prioritize simplicity and minimal assumptions. Still, it’s only a guide to create intuitive and efficient user interfaces that give the overall user experience a boost. Discretion and judgment are vital to consider potential risks and make sure that design decisions strike the right balance between simplicity and functionality. Ultimately, it’s a valuable part of a designer’s toolbox and a good form of insurance against user uncertainty and lack of trust.
Zara’s simple and clean look speaks to fashion lovers in no uncertain terms.
© Zara, Fair Use
Take our course Affordances: Designing Intuitive User Interfaces.
Read our piece Occam’s Razor: The simplest solution is always the best for further insights.
Find some sharp tips and examples in Occam’s Razor: The Simplest Solution for Designers by Radiant Digital.
Consult The Art of Simplicity How Occam’s Razor Elevates UX Design by Craig Barber for more in-depth information.
For additional insights, read Occam’s Razor by Naina Lavakare.
Occam's Razor and the "Keep It Simple Stupid" principle are similar in these areas:
Simplicity as a guiding principle
Both Occam's Razor and the "Keep It Simple Stupid" principle emphasize how important simplicity is in problem-solving and decision-making.
Occam's Razor suggests that among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions is the one to pick.
"Keep It Simple Stupid" encourages simplicity in design and problem-solving to steer clear of unnecessary complexity.
Preferential treatment of simpler explanations or solutions
Occam's Razor advises that when multiple competing hypotheses are equal in other respects, the simplest one is the one to select.
Similarly, the "Keep It Simple Stupid" principle urges the preference for simple solutions over complicated ones—as long as they really do effectively address the problem at hand.
Focus on minimizing unnecessary complexity
Both concepts advocate for the cutting down of unnecessary complexity in favor of straightforward, elegant solutions.
Occam's Razor is all about the need to minimize unneeded things or assumptions in explanations.
"Keep It Simple Stupid" promotes the avoidance of unnecessary features, processes or design elements that can complicate a solution without adding significant value.
Application in various fields
Occam's Razor sees commons use in scientific and philosophical reasoning to guide hypothesis selection and problem-solving.
The "Keep It Simple Stupid" principle finds application in diverse fields such as engineering, design, management and communication. It puts emphasis on the benefits of simplicity in these domains.
Take our course Human-Computer Interaction: The Foundations of UX Design to take a deep-dive into this and other principles geared around design for users.
Occam's Razor and Hick's Law are two distinct principles from different fields—even so, they share some similarities in their underlying concepts. Occam's Razor is a principle from the field of philosophy and science that states that when there are competing hypotheses to explain a phenomenon, the simplest explanation is often the best.
Hick's Law, though, is a principle in psychology and ergonomics that describes the time it takes for a person to make a decision as a result of the possible choices they have. It states that raising the number of choices will drive up the decision time logarithmically.
Similarities
Both Occam's Razor and Hick's Law emphasize simplicity and efficiency.
Occam's Razor advocates for the simplest explanation—meanwhile, Hick's Law highlights the advantage of reducing the number of choices to make decisions more efficiently.
Occam's Razor and Hick's Law are different in their specific applications—still, they both promote the idea that simplicity and the reduction of unnecessary elements can lead to outcomes that are more effective.
Take our course Psychology of Commerce: How to Sell Online for insights into how to design successfully for users.
When designers work Occam's Razor into usability testing, they observe users as the users interact with a product. Designers note where these users encounter difficulties. When they look for the simplest solutions to these issues, designers can make incremental improvements, ones that will greatly boost usability. For instance, if users tend to struggle with a complex navigation menu, a designer could take Occam's Razor and give it a “shave”—or simplify that menu to a more intuitive structure.
This principle also is something that supports a user-centered design approach—it puts an emphasis on the need to take out any non-essential elements that don’t add value to the user's experience. When they focus on simplicity, designers can create more efficient and accessible products that meet users' needs more effectively.
Take our course Conducting Usability Testing for essential and in-depth insights into how to design successfully for users with testing.
Occam's Razor can greatly influence information architecture through how it encourages simplicity and clarity. In information architecture, for designers to go about applying Occam's Razor, it means they design websites and digital products in a way that’s easy for users to understand and navigate. The principle encourages designers to minimize complexity in how they structure information, lessen unnecessary content and focus on essential elements that improve user experience.
When they streamline navigation and organize content clearly, designers can create more intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. This approach helps users find information faster—and with less effort. So, it gives a real boost to the overall effectiveness of the digital product.
Watch CEO of Experience Dynamics, Frank Spillers explain how to use UI design patterns to make exceptional user interfaces.
Designers can use Occam's Razor to look at and analyze existing user interfaces—by choosing the simplest designs that meet the users’ needs. This means they take out unnecessary elements that don't add value—which makes the interface cleaner and easier to use. Designers compare different design options and pick the one that makes the least assumptions. That’s something that leads to a straightforward and efficient user experience.
This approach helps designers find and take out complicated features—which makes navigation intuitive. When designers use Occam's Razor, they focus on essential functions that boost the usability—and so ensure the interface is accessible and user-friendly.
Watch our topic video on accessibility to appreciate the need to design with accessibility in mind.
Designers can apply Occam's Razor and Fitts's Law together in UX design if they simplify interfaces and optimize the placement of elements for easy interaction. Occam's Razor encourages reducing unnecessary components to make the design as simple as possible.
Fitts's Law—meanwhile—suggests that designers put important interactive elements in easy-to-reach areas—which makes them larger for quicker access. When they combine these principles, designers can create user-friendly interfaces that are both simple and efficient. This enhances the overall user experience—it makes navigation intuitive and actions effortless.
Take our course UI Design Patterns for Successful Software for vital and in-depth insights into how to design successfully for users and factor in their needs properly.
Occam's Razor helps designers make more effective user personas and scenarios through its encouragement of the focus on essential, realistic details that accurately reflect target users. It simplifies personas—by taking out unnecessary assumptions and complexities. That leads to clearer, more actionable insights. Designers can concentrate on key attributes and behaviors that truly matter. Especially when designers are using design thinking, they can make personas and scenarios more relatable and useful for guiding design decisions. This streamlined approach makes sure that design efforts align closely with user needs and preferences—something that enhances the effectiveness of the UX design process.
Watch Author and Expert in Human-Computer Interaction Professor Alan Dix explain personas and their value in design.
Occam's Razor affects content strategy and UX writing through how it promotes simplicity and clarity. The razor guides UX writers in such way that they create concise, straightforward content that directly addresses user needs. Designers avoid unnecessary jargon and don’t get into complex explanations. This approach makes sure that the content is easily understandable for users by making information accessible and actionable. As it focuses on essential information and takes out superfluous details, content strategy becomes more effective. It helps users achieve their goals with minimal effort.
Watch our Master Class with Author, Speaker and UX Writer at Google, Torrey Podmajersky for in-depth insights into UX writing.
UX designers can manage to do this if they carefully evaluate user needs and make sure that all the essential functionalities are present and accessible. They balance simplicity with usability—and they recognize that if they take too much out, it can harm the user experience. Designers focus on the core user tasks and give clear pathways to complete them—without stripping away helpful context or guidance. This approach ensures that while designs are streamlined, they still fully support user goals and preferences.
Take our course UI Design Patterns for Successful Software for essential and in-depth insights into how to design successfully for users, as well as factor in their needs properly.
Designers prioritize these at that time when they focus on simplicity and user needs. They evaluate each feature's impact on the overall user experience—and prefer those that offer large benefits without adding any unneeded complexity. This process means that designers critically assess the value each feature adds—and pick just those that are essential for achieving the product's goals. When they do that, designers make sure the final product is streamlined and user-friendly—and that it meets the users' core requirements efficiently.
Take our course Emotional Design—How to Make Products People Will Love for essential and in-depth insights into how to design products that users will truly enjoy.
Sudjatmoko, A. A., Susanto, A. A., Jayaseputra, J. A., Purwanto, E. S., & Sari, A. C. (2022). The Influence of Consumer Interest on the Use of UI and UX in the E-Commerce Application. In 2022 4th International Conference on Cybernetics and Intelligent System (ICORIS). IEEE.
This publication delves into the critical role of User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) in e-commerce applications—with a particular focus on their impact on consumer interest. The authors argue that well-implemented UI and UX don’t just facilitate smoother interactions between users and applications but greatly enhance user satisfaction and engagement too. Conversely, inadequacies in UI and UX design can obstruct information interaction and foster user frustration. Occam’s Razor receives attention in this piece.
Epic Love Books. (2019). Occam's Razor Scientific Principle Journal: Scientist | Science Experiments Notebook.
The journal encourages users to apply this principle in their work—promoting clear thinking and effective problem-solving. Its design is particularly useful for chemistry or biology teachers tracking experiment notes—and so embodying the principle of simplicity in scientific exploration.
Do you want to improve your UX / UI Design skills? Join us now
You earned your gift with a perfect score! Let us send it to you.
We’ve emailed your gift to name@email.com.
Do you want to improve your UX / UI Design skills? Join us now
Here’s the entire UX literature on Occam’s Razor by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:
We believe in Open Access and the democratization of knowledge. Unfortunately, world-class educational materials such as this page are normally hidden behind paywalls or in expensive textbooks.
If you want this to change, , link to us, or join us to help us democratize design knowledge!
