Grandma rubric
Sivants' UX principle that interfaces should be understandable to non-technical users. Specific rules govern button labels, status messages, error copy, and more.
What it is
The Grandma rubric is a checklist applied to user-facing UI. Examples: buttons name outcomes not actions ("Looks Good — Start" not "Approve & Execute"), every status has a plain-English second line, destructive actions require confirmation, hide jargon like "gate" in user copy (use "review"), warnings explain what will happen not just what's wrong.
When you would use it
You apply the Grandma rubric whenever reviewing user-facing changes. The pre-beta Grandma pass uses it to audit the entire UI.
Common operations
- Reviewing UI before shipping
- Auditing existing UI for clarity
- Drafting confirmation copy and error messages
Related terms
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Where this is taught
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