Don’t Make Me Wait! User Perception of Time & Software Speed
Chris Kiess, MLS, MS
ABOUT ME
chriskiess.net
@chris_kiess
Senior UX Designer, GN ReSound
RESOURCES
#hcitime
slideshare.net/ckiess/
chriskiess.net/timeresources
Science of Waiting
Humans &Computers
Techniques &Applications
1 2 3
Science of Waiting1
WAITTIMES
ELEVATOR
DOORCLOSE
BUTTON
ONMirror, mirror
the wall
For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours
supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work.
~Doug Larson
Things are not always as they seem
3 Concepts in Time Perception
Make it appear faster
Make it faster
Make it tolerable
MAKE IT FASTER
Performance vs. Responsiveness
Benchmarks/Standards
Weber Ratio (JND)
MAKE IT APPEAR FASTER
Psychological Time
Perception vs. Reality
Pliancy
More than meets the eye
TOLERANCE
Inaccurate / Subjective
Vierordt’s Law
Relative
PERCEPTIONService =
Minus Expectation
PLAYIt’s Hard too
Catch-up Ball
TOLERANCE THRESHOLDS
.5 – 1.0 sec. = Immediate
.1 - .2 sec. = Instantaneous
10 -12 sec. = Attention (single task)
2 – 5 sec. = Continuous
Humans & Computers2
HCI is Communication
WHAT IF HCI MIMICKED OUR OWN INTERACTIONS?
THEY WOULD
How long it will take
Tell us input is received
Manage tasks in background
THEY WOULD ALSO
Anticipate common pathways
Free us for other tasks
Simply respond and reassure
OUR RELATIONSHIPS
12 Techniques & Applications3
1. Create User Flow
UserControl
ChallengeUsers
Goals &Feedback
1 2 3
USER FLOW
Challenge Skills Match
Vary Skill Levels
Beginner vs. Expert
Software Modes / Preferences
GIVE USERS SENSE OF CONTROL
Forgiveness
Provide Options
Undo, Escape Hatches, Back Buttons
“the flow experience is typically described as involving a sense of control – or more precisely as lacking the sense of worry
about losing control.” ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Minimize Interruptions
AVOID ANXIETY
AVOID UNCERTAINTY
GOALS & FEEDBACK
Precise Language
Prompt Feedback
Trim Information & Descriptive Buttons
Hick-Hyman Law
2. Use Time Anchors
Time Anchor Matrix
1 2 3
5 10 15
10 20 30
USING TIME ANCHORS
“Installation will be between 3 and 5 minutes”
“The download will take about 30 seconds”
“Time remaining: 10 minutes”
TIME ANCHOR USE
Ranges prevent users from holding us to exact numbers
Never skip over a number when representing ranges
Use anchors for countdown units in timers
3. PROGRESS INDICATORS
PROGRESS INDICATOR - GENERAL GUIDELINES
0-2 Seconds - No Indication Needed 2-5 Seconds - Busy Animation
5-X Seconds - Progress Indication Needed 10+ Seconds - Cancel Button
PROGRESS INDICATOR DESIGN
Avoid Time Elapsed
Time vs. Work Units
Never Increase Time Unit Increments
NO SPECIFICITY
BE SPECIFIC
Never start at zero
How long will it take?
Use time anchors
DESCENDING DURATIONS&
NONLINEAR PROGRESS BARS
FINAL COUNTDOWN
4. PREEMPTIVE START
No clear start or end time – less ability to estimate
duration
5. EARLY COMPLETION &INVISIBLE DECONSTRUCTION
Finish details & deconstruct in background
Ends process early
6. CONTINUOUS DURATIONS
Avoid segmentation of processes
Get input upfront & automate process
Fire & Forget!
Doctor’sSegmentation at the
Office
USERHolding the
Captive
7. MEANINGFUL DIVERSION
DISNEYThe
Fast Pass
BAGGAGE CLAIM
8. WORTH THE WAIT
WOULD WAIT AGAIN
THEY WILL WAIT AGAIN
9. UNDERSCORE VALUE
10. SET EXPECTATIONS & EXCEED THEM
11. OFFER CONTEXTUALIZED FEEDBACK
Your system does not meet the minimum
requirements
TIME PERCEPTION12. INCLUDE
IN DESIGN & TESTING PROCESS
METHODS
TESTING
ROOT CAUSE
EXPERT REVIEW
SUMMARY
MODEL REAL WORLD
TIME = SUBECTIVE
INTEGRATE INTO DESIGN
“When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot
stove for a minute – and it's longer than any hour. That's
relativity.”
~Albert Einstein
QUESTIONS
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