How would you handle users who don't read dialog boxes? [closed]

Answer 1

A .NET Rocks episode comes to mind (I believe episode 338, "Mark Miller on the Science of Good UI") discusses this very topic. I think what is key to this whole discussion is that this is basic UI design taken too far. Where the modal was once an acceptable means of communication we now find that it has become programming faux pas. Users understand that 6 times out of 10 the information is not pertinent enough for them to worry about. As a result they treat all modals the same way -- learned helplessness. If a modal comes up and tells me that Application Error X occurred and all I can click is "OK" --even when I don't think it is "OK" I learn a particular behavior. I assosciate modals with the idea that I probably can't do much about them, but if I click OK/Yes then I can get back to what I need.

So, why is it still used? Perhaps developers have tried avoiding the fact that application development is becoming more than just a basic interface, and users require a fluid UI design -- old standbys are hard to give up...

I think the key here is to understand that good UI design now indicates that interruptions (to even the most novice computer user) are annoyances and we need to strive to have a seamless user experience where the focus of the application is the user -- not the needs of the application via prompting and error reporting -- don't allow a user to get into situations where they don't care.

Answer 2

If you must use a dialog, reward the user with amusingly sympathetic or even satirical and very short explanatory text. If you occasionally hand out something hilariously scandalous they will read everything.

User is running dangerously low on common sense. Please remove this user and insert another one.

Answer 3

The Humane Interface, by Jef Raskin is worth reading. A dialog box is the last resort, and a sign of poor design. Most are unnecessary, and as you discovered are all ignored by users.

Why is there a dialog box? Solve that problem - don't ask users to confirm an operation, instead make it easy to undo the operation. Don't popup a dialog box announcing an error - do whatever recovery you're going to do anyway (or whatever is possible). Definitely don't show dialog boxes which have only one outcome ('OK' only boxes are the devil), present the information within the app unobtrusively.

Answer 4

Often developers use modal dialog boxes simply because its easy to code them.

However, non-modal notifications are often more convenient for the user to deal with.

Answer 5

Include a multiple choice quiz at the end of the dialog box, to which the user must select the answer that shows they really did read and understand the text. Randomly switch the order of the choices so they cannot always click the same one.

Answer 6

I call this the "autopilot" problem.

1. Do not use the OK, Cancel buttons on the bottom of the screen. Look at the way that Vista tries to force users to make a real decision.
2. Disable the buttons for a few seconds, display a "Time to think" timer/progressbar. So the user cannot click on autopilot. Users tend to find this very annoying.