Best Practice for Designing Form Error Messages
Reading Time – 3 min. Form error message examples you can copy, plus the UX rules behind them: where errors go, when to validate, and how to word each one so people can fix it.
Articles
Practical UX articles on interface design, usability and research — from form validation to dark mode, each answering one question with evidence.
Google’s decision on Pagination vs. Progressive Loading
Reading Time – 2 min. Pagination vs. progressive loading – they both have their pros and cons. But do you know why Google has been using pagination?
Why is it impossible to deselect radio buttons?
Reading Time – 3 min. You can't uncheck a radio button by clicking it again. How to clear one anyway (reset, refresh, a Clear link) and how to design forms that don't need it.
‘Your’ or ‘My’ in User Interfaces
Reading Time – 3 min. 'Your' or 'My' in User Interfaces: Make the right decision when writing UX copy. Read this article to learn about best practices.
‘Exit’, ‘quit’, or ‘close’: Which UX term should you use?
Reading Time – 5 min. Follow the platform. On macOS the App menu says Quit AppName (⌘Q) and the File menu says Close (⌘W). For Windows, the web and anything cross-platform, Microsoft's current Writing Style Guide says to use close — and tells you not to use exit or quit for shutting down an app at all. Keep exit for leaving a mode or a place, not a program.
Designing a Data-Heavy UI
Reading Time – 3 min. How to design data-heavy products: what users do with dense data, when to use tables vs charts, density settings, and how to keep a data-heavy UI readable.
Should a sentence ending with a URL terminate in a period?
Reading Time – 3 min. Should a URL terminate with a period? This question has been asked several times. Let's see what the best practice for UX copywriting is.
Do users want to look at multiple windows at once?
Reading Time – 2 min. More difficult tasks can't be completed without the use of multiple windows. But do users really want to do that? Find an answer here!
How long will the busy spinner keep your user waiting?
Reading Time – 3 min. In user interface design, the busy spinner is a common delay or progress indicator. However, it has faults of its own that user interface designers…
Are Carousels Effective?
Reading Time – 3 min. Wondering whether to add a carousel to your website? Read this article to find if you should and what's the best way to do it.