Struggling with an app? It may not be your fault

When progress and options are invisible, people are left tapping, waiting, and searching.

The dead tap: a button with no visible response
- Without knowing whether a request is being processed, people may tap again and submit duplicates. A loading indicator or a change in button state signals that waiting is appropriate.
The unmarked door: a feature hidden behind a label
- When a button label does not describe its action, people have to search through menus, as with Uber’s cancellation option hidden behind ‘Edit details.’ The issue is making options recognizable instead of requiring people to memorize their locations.

Messages that misrepresent the cause send people looking for solutions in the wrong place.

The author describes being told Uber Lite was unavailable in the area while the regular Uber app worked at the same location.
Presenting an app’s feature limitation as a location problem leads people to question their own circumstances. Error messages need both an accurate cause and an action the user can take next.

The difference in effort between signing up and cancelling reveals whose interests the design serves.

A flow that makes signup a single step but requires hidden buttons, surveys, and repeated confirmations to cancel can be a deceptive pattern.
- Making the option to stay large and prominent while keeping the option to leave small and faint serves the same purpose.
Comparing the steps required to start and stop reveals where a flow obstructs the user’s choice.

Repeated mistaps can signal that touch targets do not adequately account for real conditions of use.

Fingers cannot operate with the precision of a mouse pointer. Small buttons are even harder to tap while moving or using one hand.
Looking at button size, spacing between nearby elements, and the circumstances of use alongside mistap counts makes opportunities for improvement more specific.

Naming app frustrations can reduce self-blame and make it easier to turn vague complaints into problems that can be fixed.

When to read

When you want to make ‘frustrating’ or ‘confusing’ feedback from usability tests more specific
When reviewing recurring friction in signup, cancellation, and error screens

Takeaways

Turn ‘cancelling is difficult’ into a description of the screen and action, such as ‘cancellation is hidden behind the Edit details button’
Check what cues the screen provided at the moment the user made a mistake

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