In the next few blog posts, we will discuss each of the ten heuristics laid out by Jakob Nielsen. The first heuristic listed is:
01. Visibility of system status
The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
So what does this mean and how can we implement it in our designs?
Knowledge is Power
Don’t keep the users guessing — tell the user what’s happening. The system should always keep users informed about what is going on through appropriate feedback.
Appropriate feedback for a users action is perhaps the most basic guideline of interaction design. Whenever users interact with your product, they need to know whether the interaction was successful. Did the system register a button press? Did the form submission, I spent 15 minutes filling out, go through? Was my item added to the shopping cart? Everyone has been subjected to subpar user experience and appreciates software that keeps them informed.
It is not just information from user interactions that are important. Knowing when the systems is updating, when the phone is charging, or when files are being copied and transferred are examples of status information the user should know about.
Feedback can be as simple as a change of color once the user has clicked on a button, or a progress indicator when a process needs a little longer to finish. These indicators communicate that the system is working, and reduce uncertainty. When a user is uncertain, they will tap the same button multiple times and get frustrated easily. A frustrated user will quickly stop using your product!
The App You Create Could Be the Next Big Thing
If you are serious about building a new app or web experience, or just curious about learning more about the process, then I’d love to talk with you. The app you create could be the next big thing. It might open you up to new opportunities for your business or organization and completely change the world and your life.
Please send me an email to start the conversation.
jay@3rinteractive.com
Jay Johns, Founder of 3r Interactive, LLC
