principle of least astonishment

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principle of least astonishment

proper noun

A principle that the design should match the user's experience, expectations, and mental models.
Similar: POLA, principle of least surprise

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name user interface principle

Français	principe de moindre surprise
Deutsch	Prinzip der geringsten Überraschung

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MLA

"principle of least astonishment." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/principle%20of%20least%20astonishment. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

principle of least astonishment. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/principle%20of%20least%20astonishment

Chicago

"principle of least astonishment." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/principle%20of%20least%20astonishment.

BibTeX

@misc{principle_of_least_astonishment_2026,
  title = {principle of least astonishment},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/principle%20of%20least%20astonishment},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}