How UX Design Services Use Progress Indicators By Tory Darling, Codal Inc
______________________________________________________ No matter what digital platform a user is on, progress indicators tend to be a major cause of tension for the user. Progress indicators are also known as “visibility of system status” and essentially indicate to the user how far along is a certain task. Although the way the progress indicator is designed can be the critical for the user experience and thus should be a primary focus for UX design agencies. Choosing the Right Visual The first step in the ux ui research for choosing which type of progress indicator to use is essentially based on the time length of the task. The two most common progress indicators are spinners and progress bars. Spinners are primarily used for short time periods. The sweet spot for the time length of a spinner is about four seconds. It is important to note that spinners just notify the user that the task is in process but does not provide clear feedback on the length of period remaining. For this reason, if you have a spinner that goes longer than four seconds, you may create a sense of irritation in the user. Progress bars on the other hand show the relative length of time remaining in the task. This visual provides the user an incentive to wait and be more patient for the system to complete. In order to effectively use progress bars, ux design services need to make sure the animation in the bar is gradual and at a consistent pace; inconsistency and long pauses will create a sense of frustration for the user.
Another decision to make about progress bars is deciding between a “percentage done” and “time remaining” indication. As a general rule, percentage done should be used when the progress bar is less than a minute and a time remaining when it is over a minute.