response time Articles & Videos

  • Mask Interaction Delays with Progress Indicators

    In case of slow response times in a user interface, indicate that the wait time will soon be over by showing an animation. For longer delays use a percent-done indicator.

  • The Need for Speed, 23 Years Later

    In spite of an increase in Internet speed, webpage speeds have not improved over time.

  • The 3 Response Time Limits in Interaction Design

    User interfaces must be fast, or users will give up. (In the case of websites, they'll leave if pages download too slowly.) The exact maximum response times vary by usage circumstances, and should be either 0.1, 1.0, or 10 seconds.

  • Variable Fonts and Wide-Screen Layouts: Adopting Data-Driven Progressive Enhancements

    The NN/g website homepage now incorporates variable fonts and a wide-screen layout — 2 technical adjustments which improve the user experience for a subset of users on supported devices.

  • Timing Guidelines for Exposing Hidden Content

    Events triggered via hover or click require distinct timing to avoid accidental activations and ensure that the user feels in control of the interface.

  • Progress Indicators Make a Slow System Less Insufferable

    Wait animations, such as percent-done bars and spinners, inform users of the current working state and make the process more tolerable to the user by reducing uncertainty. Users experience higher satisfaction with a site and are willing to wait longer when the site uses a dynamic progress indicator.

  • When the UI Is Too Fast

    Users might overlook things that change too fast — and even when they do notice, changeable screen elements are harder to understand in a limited timeframe.

  • Website Response Times

    Slow page rendering today is typically caused by server delays or overly fancy page widgets, not by big images. Users still hate slow sites and don't hesitate telling us.

  • Powers of 10: Time Scales in User Experience

    From 0.1 seconds to 10 years or more, user interface design has many different timeframes, and each has its own particular usability issues.

  • Nielsen's Law of Internet Bandwidth

    Users' bandwidth grows by 50% per year (10% less than Moore's Law for computer speed). The new law fits data from 1983 to 2023.

  • The Need for Speed

    All usability studies show that fast response times are essential for Web usability: let's believe the data for once! Advice for speeding up sites despite the fact that bandwidth is going down, not up.

  • Response Times: The 3 Important Limits

    How users react to delays in a user interface, whether website or application. The 3 main response time limits are determined by human perceptual abilities.