When Design Saves the Day

Patience is a virtue. However, when money is involved you won’t see much of it. Even if you are the only seller in the marketplace (an infrequent occurrence), you don’t want to test your customers’ patience and risk souring their experience.

At some point your product is going to cause frustration. In user experience, DAMAGE CONTROL is very important. It can save a experience/session from being stamped as negative and implanting a negative emotional experience.

Imagine the scenario: Bob (a user) is stuck and cant figure out how to accomplish a given task. Bob is starting to get frustrated and is now looking for a help section. He either finds it quickly or by the time he finds it, is exhausted and has had enough.

Pinterest and others do a great job at reducing the frustration and potential damage with a simple maneuver-a fixed help section button/link. No scrolling, no searching. Help is dependently and reassuringly always within reach (even when not actively looking for help, this is comforting to the user).

Yes, the difference is marginal but every second and every experience counts. Users have thresholds for frustration and will give you a chance to right the ship. Be the hero your users are looking for in their time of need.