Instructional Text in the User Interface: Some Counterintuitive Implications of User Behaviors :: UXmatters

Instructional Text in the User Interface: Some Counterintuitive Implications of User Behaviors :: UXmatters

The dynamics of how users interact with interactive elements within a user interface change how we must approach instruction that we deliver within user interfaces. Users skip static elements, such as instructional text, because they focus immediately on downstream actionable objects. Effective user assistance design accommodates users’ natural workflows by providing instruction immediately beside or following interactive elements that constitute points of need for more information