Rethinking the progress bar

C Harrison, B Amento, S Kuznetsov, R Bell - Proceedings of the 20th …, 2007 - dl.acm.org
Proceedings of the 20th annual ACM symposium on User interface software and …, 2007dl.acm.org
Progress bars are prevalent in modern user interfaces. Typically, a linear function is
employed such that the progress of the bar is directly proportional to how much work has
been completed. However, numerous factors cause progress bars to proceed at non-linear
rates. Additionally, humans perceive time in a non-linear way. This paper explores the
impact of various progress bar behaviors on user perception of process duration. The results
are used to suggest several design considerations that can make progress bars appear …
Progress bars are prevalent in modern user interfaces. Typically, a linear function is employed such that the progress of the bar is directly proportional to how much work has been completed. However, numerous factors cause progress bars to proceed at non-linear rates. Additionally, humans perceive time in a non-linear way. This paper explores the impact of various progress bar behaviors on user perception of process duration. The results are used to suggest several design considerations that can make progress bars appear faster and ultimately improve users' computing experience.
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