Progress Indicators Explained: Types, Variations & Best Practices for SaaS Design
How long will users really wait for loading before abandoning your product? And can loading indicators make that wait feel more tolerable?
A study by Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah explored these exact questions. Participants were split into two groups:
Group 1: Users who saw a progress bar while waiting.
Group 2: Users who had no visibility of progress at all.
The results were striking! Participants in Group 1 had a median waiting time of 22.6 seconds, more than twice the 9 seconds of Group 2. This clearly demonstrates that providing visual feedback during waiting can greatly improve user patience and keep them engaged.
In this article, we’ll explore progress indicators in depth—covering common types, variations, and best practices for applying them effectively.
Exploring progress indicators in depth—covering common types, variations, and best practices for applying them effectively.