evaluating semantic ontologies based on user purpose

it is a unified blueprint that reveals design laws are not isolated rules, but applied expressions of fundamental human cognition. it maps the connection between the logic of science and the intuition of art.

the unified ontology
concepts (the nouns):
human: the user, the center of the system.
interaction: the dialogue between the human and a system.
design law: a specific, observable principle that governs an interaction (e.g., fitts's law).
foundation: a primary mode of human knowing (e.g., geometry, poetry).

relationships (the verbs):
an interaction is governed by a design law.
a design law is an expression of a foundation.

the architecture (the core axioms):
axiom 1: effective design is resonant. it harmonizes the interaction with the human's innate foundations.
axiom 2: foundations are sourced from two cognitive modes:
left brain: logic, structure, analysis (mathematics, geometry, abstraction).
right brain: intuition, harmony, synthesis (art, composition, philosophy).
axiom 3: the most potent design laws integrate both logical and intuitive foundations.
mapping the principles
this ontology integrates your analysis into a single, coherent system. each law governs a specific aspect of the interaction by channeling its resonant foundations.

aesthetic-usability effect → governs perception → resonates with art (right) & composition (right).
fitts’s law → governs physical action → resonates with geometry (left) & physics (left).
goal-gradient effect → governs motivation → resonates with persuasion (left) & composition (right).
hick’s law → governs decision-making → resonates with abstraction (left) & composition (right).
jakob’s law → governs expectation → resonates with philosophy (right) & theory (right).
miller’s law → governs working memory → resonates with composition (right) & abstraction (left).
parkinson’s law → governs perceived efficiency → resonates with persuasion (left) & philosophy (right).
the objective
the purpose of this unified ontology is to achieve a transformation in design thinking:
disconnected rules → integrated principles
design as decoration → design as cognitive architecture
cognitive friction → resonant intuition

this is a blueprint for designing interactions by understanding the fundamental laws that govern them. its domain is the space where human cognition meets a designed system.
this interaction exists on two planes simultaneously:
the mechanistic plane (left brain: logic, structure, physics): the objective, quantifiable aspects of interaction.
the phenomenological plane (right brain: aesthetics, feeling, philosophy): the subjective, qualitative experience of interaction.
a successful design harmonizes these two planes.
the unified ontology

concepts (the nouns):
human: the user, a being with cognitive limits and perceptual biases.
interface: the designed system, a structure of targets, information, and pathways.
interaction: the dynamic event where the human engages the interface.

relationships (the verbs):
a human engages with an interface.
this engagement creates an interaction.
the interaction is governed by a set of universal axioms.

axioms (the laws of interaction):
the axiom of physical constraint (fitts's law): on the mechanistic plane, the efficiency of an interaction is a direct function of target size and distance.
friction → a function of (distance / size)
the axiom of choice complexity (hick’s law): on the mechanistic plane, the time required for an interaction increases with the number of choices presented by the interface.
decision time → a function of (choice quantity)
the axiom of cognitive capacity (miller’s law): the interface must respect the human's limited working memory (~7 items). information must be chunked.
information overload → cognitive failure
the axiom of perceived reality (aesthetic-usability effect): on the phenomenological plane, the human perceives a beautiful interface as a more functional one.
aesthetic harmony → perceived usability
the axiom of convention (jakob’s law): the human expects an interface to work like all other interfaces they have experienced. mental models are imported.
unfamiliar patterns → cognitive friction
the axiom of motivation (goal-gradient effect): on the phenomenological plane, human motivation increases as the interaction brings them closer to a perceived goal.
proximity to goal → increased engagement
the axiom of perceived effort (parkinson’s law): human perception of interaction time is subjective and can be shaped by the interface design.
undefined task duration → expanded effort
the objective
by applying this unified ontology, the design process transforms:
disparate rules → a coherent system
mechanistic function → a humane experience
cognitive friction → intuitive flow

this is an ontology of human-interface design.
its domain is the space where human cognition meets a system.
its purpose is to create a unified experience by synthesizing two fundamental modes of human understanding: the logical and the intuitive.
a successful interface is ambidextrous. it must satisfy the axioms of both the left and right brain.

core concepts
human: the user, operating with cognitive limits (memory, attention) and expectations (motivation, convention).
interface: the system, a structured space for action and information.
task: the goal or journey the human undertakes within the interface.
information: the content, choices, and feedback presented by the interface.

the axioms of interface design
a well-designed interface honors two equal, unwritten contracts with the user.
1. the logical contract (the left-brain axioms)
these axioms govern clarity, efficiency, and quantifiable structure. they build trust through logic.
axiom of effort (fitts’s law): physical interaction cost must be minimized. targets must be a function of geometry and mathematics.
axiom of choice (hick’s law): decision cost must be minimized. choices must be clarified through abstraction and precise language.
axiom of capacity (miller’s law): cognitive load must be respected. information must be abstracted into digestible chunks.
axiom of time (parkinson’s law): perceived task duration must be managed. the interface must feel efficient and respectful of the user’s time.
2. the intuitive contract (the right-brain axioms)
these axioms govern feeling, perception, and narrative cohesion. they build trust through intuition.
axiom of form (aesthetic-usability effect): beauty implies function. an aesthetically pleasing form, guided by principles of art and composition, is perceived as more usable.
axiom of convention (jakob’s law): familiarity creates effortlessness. the interface must honor the established patterns and mental models the user already holds.
axiom of momentum (goal-gradient effect): progression must be felt. the journey through a task must be composed like a narrative, with a motivating pull toward completion.

the objective
the successful application of this ontology creates a transformation:
friction & ambiguity → flow & clarity
logic vs. intuition → logic synthesized with intuition
a set of features → a unified, resonant experience
this is the architecture for an interface that works not because it follows a list of rules, but because its design is a coherent reflection of the human mind itself.