LOWER THE SURPRISE: APPLYING THE FREE ENERGY PRINCIPLE TO UX

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

The Free Energy Principle describes how the brain aims to minimize the mismatch between expectations and sensory input. It helps explain why design principles like feedback, Gestalt grouping, and clear states feel intuitive while broken interactions cause stress and frustration. By using abductive reasoning—forming hypotheses about user expectations and emotional context—designers can go beyond rules and create solutions that better align perception with expectation and reduce user uncertainty.