Miller's Law

The average person can only keep 7 (±2) items in their working memory.

Why it matters

When a checkout flow crams 12 fields onto a single screen, users abandon it. Not because they lack the information, but because the cognitive load exceeds what working memory can hold.

Key Principles

1Chunk information into groups of 5–9 items.
2Don't force users to remember information across steps.
3Use visual grouping to help users process content.
4Keep navigation and option sets within cognitive limits.

Try It

Adjust the number of items. Past 7, items highlight to show working memory overload.

Items: 5Within limits

Item 1Item 2Item 3Item 4Item 5

Within limitExceeds limit

Code Pattern

tsx

1// ✅ Good: Chunked phone number input
2<div className="flex gap-2">
3  <input maxLength={3} placeholder="555" />
4  <span>-</span>
5  <input maxLength={3} placeholder="123" />
6  <span>-</span>
7  <input maxLength={4} placeholder="4567" />
8</div>
9
10// ❌ Bad: Single long input
11<input maxLength={10} placeholder="5551234567" />

Chunk long strings of information into manageable groups.

AI Analyzer

Analyzing against Miller's Law

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