Gestalt Principles and the Laws of UX: Part 5 - The Law of Continuity

The scientific principles I use every day designing in tools like Figma were predominantly researched and documented between 1912 and 1960 - before the invention of computers and mobile phones or the gurus of UX at NNG.

Each week I am going to release a new Law of UX. This week is the first of the Gestalt Principles - The Law of Continuity.

Don't want to wait? You can read my take on 9 Laws of UX in the full post on my website.

Our eyes track continues forms and look for breaks in them.

In the image shown, most people will naturally follow the curved line across the straight one, even when the colours change. This behaviour is partly because we're used to seeing our world in straight, horizontal lines, which influences how we group elements visually. In UX design, this insight is super useful for guiding users along a process or showing them a clear pathway. Think about scrolling through a social media feed: the seamless flow of posts intuitively tells you that you're moving through a series of updates, one after the other.

In the above image, look at how the vertical line connects each stage of the setup process - from Content and Language through to Full Version. Our eyes naturally follow this path downwards, instantly understanding the sequence and our position within it. The subtle glow effect and color highlight on the current step creates an even stronger sense of progression.

What makes this design particularly effective is how it balances active and inactive states. The continuous line doesn't just stop at the current step; it extends downward in a muted tone, suggesting there's more to come. This visual continuity helps users understand they're part of a longer journey without feeling overwhelmed by it.

The Law of Continuity takeaways

1. Our eyes naturally follow lines and paths through an interface
2. Continuous elements help users track their progress through a process
3. Connected steps make complex sequences feel more manageable

Further reading:

• The Laws of UX website: lawsofux.com
• Steve Krug’s Don’t Make Me Think
• Interaction Design Foundation IxDF: The Gestalt Principles

References:

• Home | Laws of UX
• Gestalt psychology