Easy and Hard
Recently I was asked why I suggested a Cancel button be moved to the right of a Delete button in a dialogue box. The confusion was understandable: in this particular UX, the paradigm had been established that termination actions were on the left, whereas continuation actions were on the right. My response was that, since this was the last chance the user would have before losing their data, they should have to look just a little harder before selecting Delete.
This reminded me of a good UX maxim: make it as easy as possible for people to do that which they want to do, and harder for them to do that which they might not want to do.
Make it Easy
If users want to enroll, subscribe, purchase, read, save, whatever…make it as easy as possible. Remove all roadblocks. Get out of their way!
Make it Hard
If a user might do something they don’t really want to do, make it hard. (Or, make it less than easy.) For example, while one warning might suffice when deleting a file, perhaps two warnings need to appear before wiping a hard drive.
As UX professionals, we trumpet the art of making things easy, but we also need to remember that sometimes, in some cases, it’s better to make things just a little bit more difficult.
2 Comments
Mark
28 December , 2011Why not simply two buttons labeled “Yes” or “No”? “Cancel” and “Delete” are weasel words in the context of the question. If I’ve gone through the process of deleting my account, I don’t want a subtle implication that I should “think harder” about whether I really want to cancel my account or not. So personally, as an average user, I don’t appreciate this kind of UX trickery.
In fact, I’d go further and say that I would actively avoid engaging with software made by individuals or companies who break the conventions they establish within that software. It should be hard for users to cancel a service because they’ve found that they cant live without it – not because the designer has made the process difficult.
Michael McWatters
28 December , 2011Hi Mark. What you poetically describe as ‘weasel’ words might also be described as accurate, specific, or helpful. They take no more time to read, and confirm in the user’s mind the action they are about to take.
Unlike what you seem to be implying, the goal is not to make it harder for the user to do what they want, only to make sure they know exactly what they are doing. I’ve seen both approaches tested numerous times in usability labs, and the more specific labeling is always preferred by users.
A better example of the point I’m making, however, might best be illustrated by the well-known cartoon of how not to design an ejection seat button. Sure, it’s convenient and easy to get to, but maybe that’s not always the best design, given the potential consequences of a user error.
To your last point, conventions are very important in UI design, and should only be deviated from in situations where adherence could cause more harm than good. It’s not, as you suggest, about making the process more difficult, but making it more intentional.