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Law of Minimal Effort
People subconsciously (think, automatically), will often opt for the path of minimal effort.
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Last updated: 03/11/2026
How to utilise this in your designs
When someone first opens an empty input, you could pre-fill it with a sample entry they can add in one tap, so they don't have to think of a real entry to get started.
Example from
NoteCircle
Try using the name someone gives an item to suggest the remaining details, e.g., category and size, so the minimal-effort path becomes simply confirming them.
Example from
Vinted
When someone needs details a nearby person already has, consider letting that person share them in one tap, rather than having the other type them out manually.
Example from
Apple
One option is to ask whether a temporary setting should reset automatically, so people don't have to remember to undo it later.
Example from
Discord
When new users face a large catalogue, it may help to ask for a few interests, then offer a ready-made starter pack, rather than having them browse and pick each item.
Example fromApple
Possible impacts
Users tend to skim rather than read, so putting the key word first in headings, labels and buttons could hold their attention until they find what they need.
Pre-filling fields and suggesting answers could keep users motivated through longer tasks, as the least-effort option becomes confirming what's already there.
As people take the easiest path and rarely check their answers, removing steps and flagging likely errors for them could make a process feel simpler and easier to get right.
Because people default to the path of least effort, advanced features often go unused; offering to set them up in one tap could increase how many users try them.
Making a repeated action the lowest-effort option, e.g., a one-tap reorder or saved details, may help users build habits, as they fall back on it without thinking.
Written by Peter Ramsey
Published: