Big Design Conference presentation on mode, mode error, mode confusion. You keep getting an “incorrect password” message logging in because Caps Lock is on and you don’t notice. You sent a document to your stakeholders without accepting changes because you saved it in preview mode and did not notice the remaining redlines. How can we design systems to avoid these errors? Complex systems often rely on modes for different sub-systems. When modes are used in an interface, instead of a unique set of displays and controls for each mode, the same set of displays and controls carries out different functions depending on the mode selected. Mode error or mode confusion happens when the user is not aware of the mode of the system and expects a different type of system behavior upon interaction. There are many guidelines to prevent mode errors in safety-critical areas such as human-automation interaction and human-robot interaction. However, there is less attention on modes and their design in consumer products and websites. The talk will draw on examples from work in aerospace and HomeAway for designing modal user interfaces.

1. EmbraceorSteer
ClearofModes?
UX Design for Improved Mode Awareness
#bigd2018 @bigdesign @anikosandor
Aniko Sandor, PhD
UX researcher
HomeAway

4. Whatisamode?
A mode is a distinct setting
within an interface, in which
the same user input and
the same set of displays and controls carry out
different functions depending on the mode
selected.

5. Modes make you think
What mode am I in?
How can I switch modes?
Howdomodes
createconfusion?

7. Modesintheaviationdomain
Complex systems have many modes.
Aircrafts are complex systems.
• cruise mode
• initial descent mode
• landing mode
• take-off mode
• speed mode
• trust mode
• auto-throttle mode
• etc., etc.

8. When the system is in a different mode
than that assumed by its operator:
• because the automation acts without user input
• because there are gaps in the user’s mental model
on automation
• because there is poor feedback on the current state
of the automation and its future behavior
Whendomode
confusionshappen?

9. The pilot selected an inappropriate autopilot
mode that resulted in the auto-throttle no
longer controlling airspeed, without his
awareness.
The pilot's faulty mental model of the airplane's
automation logic led to his inadvertent
deactivation of automatic airspeed control.
—National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) analysis
Whyaretheyimportant?
Asiana 214 - Saturday, July 6, 2013
SFO International Airport
307 passengers, 3 dead, 187 injured.

10. Aviation Week
1995, Jan. 30 issue
incidents and accidents
184
2013, Asiana 214, B777
2009, Turkish air 1951, B737
2007, Thomsonfly, B737
1997, American 903, A300
1994, Tarom 381, A310
1994, China Airlines, A300
1993, Air France -72, B747
1990, Indian Air 605, A320

11. Situation awareness
Perception Comprehension Projection
Individual factors
knowledge, training, experience
Decision
making
Action
Environmental factors
workload, stress, interface design, complexity
SituationawarenessmodelEndsley, 1995, 2000

12. Modesin
consumerproducts

13. Digitalcamera

14. KitchenAidrefrigerator

15. MicrosoftWord

16. iPhone

17. MicrosoftOutlook

18. InVision

19. Whyshouldyoucare?
• your users will be frustrated
• your users will call customer service too many times
• your users will abandon your product
• your product may have low conversion rates
• your brand gets damaged
wasted time, wasted money, lost business

20. Heuristicrulesviolated
Visibility of system status
The system should always keep users informed about what is going on, through
appropriate feedback within reasonable time.
Error prevention
Even better than good error messages is a careful design which prevents a
problem from occurring in the first place. Either eliminate error-prone conditions
or check for them and present users with a confirmation option before they
commit to the action.
Consistency and standards
Users should not have to wonder whether different words, situations, or actions
mean the same thing. Follow platform conventions.

21. Whattodoabout
modeerrors?

22. An increase in functions and modes
does not necessarily result in an
increase in functionality.
Don’tusemodes

23. Doataskanalysis
1. mental model
2. goals
3. task flow

24. Ifyoumustuse
modes

25. Usequasimodes
The user is actively controlling the mode by,
for ex., holding down a key or a foot pedal.
Holding SHIFT
(quasimode)
vs
CAPS LOCK
(mode)

26. Helprecoverfrom
modeerrors

27. Preventerrors

29. Questionsmode On

30. Thankyou!
EmbraceorSteerClearofModes?
UX Design for Improved Mode Awareness
#bigd2018 @bigdesign @anikosandor
Aniko Sandor, PhD
UX researcher
HomeAway
© 2018 HomeAway