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Law of Similarity

The human eye tends to perceive similar elements in an unified group, structure, or pattern even if those elements are separated.

Read the original on lawsofux.com →

The scenario: a news site's article page. The words, links, buttons and related-story cards are identical in both versions — only their styling changes. In the first version, identical-looking things behave differently (and two “related stories” are actually ads); in the second, appearance honestly predicts behaviour.

What's wrong here? Three inline links, three different styles — one is plain black and invisible. A button is dressed as a link, a link is dressed as a button. Worst of all: two of the four “related stories” are paid ads styled identically to editorial content, with a disclosure you'd need a magnifying glass to find. Readers click things that don't do what they look like — and feel tricked.
thedailybyte.news/remote-work-report-2026

Remote work settles into its final shape, new report finds

By Dana Okafor · 17 July 2026 · 6 min read

Five years after the great remote-work experiment began, the numbers are stabilising. According to the 2026 Workplace Flexibility Report, 43% of knowledge workers now follow a fixed hybrid schedule, while fully remote roles have plateaued at 18%. Researchers at the Urban Labour Institute say the shift is no longer an experiment but an equilibrium.

The report also tracks a quieter change: meeting hours have dropped 12% since 2024, which the authors attribute to asynchronous-first policies spreading beyond tech. If you want to dig into the numbers yourself, you can read the full methodology or .

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🔍 What changed

  • Identical content in both versions — only the styling of links, buttons and cards changed.
  • All inline links now share one style, so every link is discoverable and nothing else pretends to be one.
  • Actions look like buttons, navigation looks like links — appearance predicts behaviour.
  • Ads keep their exact copy but get a distinct visual treatment (tint, dashed border, “Ad” badge), reversing the dark pattern of disguising them as editorial cards.

💼 Explaining it to stakeholders

“When things look alike, users assume they behave alike — that assumption is a contract, and every consistent link or button honours it for free. Break it and every click becomes a small gamble: readers miss real links, hesitate on buttons, and when they discover an ‘article’ was an ad, the trust they lose belongs to our brand, not the advertiser's. Consistency is cheaper than winning that trust back.”