Time plays a critical role in user experience from "summary" of The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Time is a critical factor in user experience. People are impatient and easily frustrated. They hate to wait, and they hate to waste time. Designers often forget this. They create products that make people wait, even if only for a few seconds. People quickly become irritated and may give up. As designers, we need to be aware of the time it takes to perform actions, to make decisions, and to recover from errors. Time is not just about speed. It is also about the sequencing of events. Humans are good at remembering sequences. We have a sense of what should come next. When things happen out of order, we get confused. This is especially true in interactive devices. If an action takes too long, or if the feedback is delayed, people may not realize that their actions have caused a response. The way time is used can affect people's perception of a product. For example, if an action takes a long time, people may think it is difficult or complicated. If it happens too quickly, they may doubt that the action was performed correctly. Users need feedback to know that their actions have been recognized and understood. Designers should provide immediate feedback to reassure users that they are on the right track. Timing is crucial in error messages as well. People make mistakes. They need to know when something has gone wrong. If an error message appears too quickly, people may not have had time to process what went wrong. If it appears too slowly, they may have forgotten what they did. Error messages should be delivered at the right time, with clear instructions on how to correct the mistake.- Time plays a critical role in user experience. Designers must be mindful of the time it takes for actions to be performed, for feedback to be given, and for errors to be addressed. By understanding how time influences user perception and behavior, designers can create products that are efficient, intuitive, and satisfying to use.
