Progress Visualization
Summary: People work longer and finish more when progress is obvious and credible. Treat visualization as a feedback amplifier for a behavior that already fits the user and context.
When this creates real change
- The user has begun the target behavior and needs help maintaining momentum.
- The task has clear milestones and honest metrics.
When it does not
- The underlying behavior is a poor fit or the metric is meaningless.
- The bar moves but the user feels no real value.
Design checklist
- Choose a real metric that users already value. Prefer outcomes or meaningful steps, not vanity counts.
- Map milestones so early wins appear within the first session or first day.
- Show next step on the component itself. “Up next: upload your resume.”
- Keep the math honest. No inflated starts or fake progress.
- Match fidelity to stage. Simple bars early, detailed analytics for committed users.
- Close the loop with a visible finish state and a clear follow‑on action.
Patterns to combine
- Implementation Intentions for the next action at a specific cue.
- Social Signals near decision points to reduce uncertainty.
Measurement
- Milestone velocity: median time between milestones.
- Return rate: day 7 and day 30.
- Completion rate: % of users who reach the end of a flow.
- Satisfaction: brief in‑product prompt after completion.
Common pitfalls
- Tracking what is easy to count instead of what matters.
- Showing deficits rather than momentum.
- Celebrations that do not correspond to real value.
FAQ
Should we add “endowed progress”?
Only if it is truthful. Fake progress erodes trust and reduces the value of real milestones later.
Related plays
Implementation Intentions ·
Social Signals ·
Behavior Ranking