90% familiar, 10% novel

Make most of it familiar so the one odd part reads as chosen.

Rauno Freibergrauno.me
Novelty is the equivalent of an exclamation mark. Akin to seasoning, you don't want too much of it.
Novelty · Feb 2026Read article ↗
Rauno Freibergrauno.me
For software design, I could see a similar framework making sense: make 90% of the experience familiar, and 10% novel.
Novelty · Feb 2026Read article ↗

Both cards use the same eight parts; only how many are novel changes.

1 · Turn up the novelty

Drag the slider and watch the left card.

Everything shoutsBad
6 of 8 parts novel
One exclamation markGood
1 of 8 parts novel
/* 90%: the system look */
.input, .toggle, .card { font: inherit; border-radius: var(--radius); }

/* 10%: one part is allowed to be odd */
.btn-primary { background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--a), var(--b)); }

Why it matters, pros and cons

Why it matters

A settings screen is read hundreds of times. Odd parts compete, so only one should.

Pros

  • People already know how the familiar parts work.
  • The odd part is the one thing they look at.
  • Brand shows up without slowing anyone down.

Cons

  • Familiar everywhere can feel generic.
  • Which 10% to spend is a judgment call.
  • Marketing pages can afford a higher ratio.