Opinion: Do your applications encourage discoverability?

I see software houses all the time that are worried about why users find their software hard to use. Or at least harder than they thought they would find it.

One thing that I see worrying users time and again, is applications that discourage you for discovering how they work. Users are afraid to click on options that they haven’t used before, because they’re worried that  something will happen that they can’t undo.

This is the essence of discoverability. 

Users need to be able to try options, without being afraid of what might happen if they choose the wrong option.

How easy do you make it for users to undo almost anything that they choose in your applications? Or once they have chosen something, are they locked into the outcome of that choice?

I’m often using applications that tell me that once I click something or agree, that it cannot be undone. Why exactly?

Please, please create applications that users are not afraid to use. And start by assuming that there should be pretty much limitless undo, no matter what they choose.

2025-04-14