Messages #2
2. A warning message
A warning message is a modal dialog box, in-place message, notification, or balloon that alerts the user of a condition that might cause a problem in the future.
A typical modal warning message.
The fundamental characteristic of warnings is that they involve the risk of losing one or more of the following:
• A valuable asset, such as important financial or other data.
• System access or integrity.
• Privacy or control over confidential information.
• User's time (a significant amount, such as 30 seconds or more).
By contrast, a confirmation is a modal dialog box that asks if the user wants to proceed with an action. Some types of warnings are presented as confirmations, and if so, the confirmation guidelines also apply.
Characteristics of good warnings
Good warnings:
• Involve risk. Good warnings alert users of something significant.
Main instructions
• The main instruction for a warning is based on its design pattern:
Pattern Main instruction
Awareness Describe the condition or potential problem.
Imminent problem Describe what the user needs to do now.
Risky action confirmation Ask a question to determine if the user wants to proceed.
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• In this example, the low battery notification is an awareness warning, so the main instruction describes the condition.
• In this example, the low battery dialog box is an imminent problem, so the main instruction describes what the user needs to do now.
Usage patterns
Warnings have several usage patterns:
Awareness
Make user aware of a condition or potential problem, but user may not have to do anything now.
Examples of awareness warnings.
Awareness warnings have the following presentation:
• Main instruction: Describe the condition or potential problem.
• Supplemental instruction: Explain the implication and why it is important.
• Commit buttons: Close.
Error prevention
Make user aware of information that might prevent a problem, especially when making choices. Error prevention warnings are best presented using an in-place warning icon and explanatory text.
Examples of error prevention warnings.
Imminent problem
The user needs to do something now to prevent an imminent problem.
An example of an imminent problem warning.
Imminent problem warnings have the following presentation:
• Main instruction: Describe what the user needs to do now.
• Supplemental instruction: Explain the condition and why it is important.
• Commit buttons: A command button or command link for each option, or OK if the action occurs outside the dialog box.
Risky action confirmation
Confirm that the user wants to proceed with an action that has some risk and can't be easily undone.
An example of risky action confirmation.
Risky action confirmations have the following presentation:
• Main instruction: Ask a question to determine if the user wants to proceed.
• Supplemental instruction: Explain any non-obvious reasons why the user might not want to proceed.
• Commit buttons: Yes, No.
For guidelines on this pattern, see Confirmations.