For decades, the widely accepted "Laws of UX" provide an essential vocabulary for describing user behavior. This is not enough because they have a critical limitation. They tell us what happens, but lack a unified theory for why.
This leaves much of design in the realm of intuition, placing the cognitive burden of inconsistency on the user (ie. the black box problem of measuring subjective experience).
The future of work isn't about behavior. It's about managing load.
Every interaction with a system—every glance, click, and decision—imposes a load on the user. By reinterpreting human-centric principles for managing load, we move from simple observation → intentional orchestration of the forces that shape it.
An Extended Framework
Our Spatial Intelligence & Sensibility Framework rest on the notion that space out there parallels the space here in the mind. It is built upon four distinct types of load that define every cognitive experience.
- Perceptual Load:
The Laws of Spatial Order
These are rules for minimizing the energy required to make sense of a visual field. We create self-evident structure so that clarity is perceived, not deduced.
- Cognitive Load:
The Laws of Mental Architecture
These laws define the architectural limits of the human mind. We respect the finite space of working memory and design information that flows through it effortlessly, creating experiences that feel natural and effective.
- Emotional Load:
The Laws of Mental Momentum
These principles govern a user's motivation, trust, and feeling of control. We manage this load to create a feeling of effortless mastery and purpose, building interfaces that feel safe and rewarding to use.
- Temporal Load:
The Laws of Interaction Physics
These laws define the physical and mental cost of interaction over time. We engineer for seamless responsiveness, consciously moving the burden of complexity from the user to the machine.
Synarchy by Design. Security by Architecture.
This mastery over load enables our philosophy of Synarchy—a model of joint-ruling in Human-AI collaboration. By managing cognitive and temporal loads, we establishes a clear and intentional partnership: humans provide top-down strategic oversight, while the AI executes bottom-up, low-level automations. (ie. Signal > Noise)
This division of labor is fundamental to our approach. It ensures that human purpose and reflective meaning always guide the system's direction, creating a secure and trustworthy environment where AI operates in serene alignment.
From Designer → Cognitive Architect
By adopting this framework, our role evolves. We are no longer just arranging elements on a screen; we are building cognitive environments. This is
Cognitive Architecture: the ability to perceive, understand, and orchestrate these interconnected cognitive, emotional, and temporal spaces for seamless interaction.
The Goal is Cognitive Liberation
The goal is not simply to create a better user experience, but to achieve Cognitive Liberation—building systems that manage complexity so effectively that human attention is freed to focus on what truly matters: deep, innovative work.