Error Prevention (All) makes sure users can review and confirm their input, no matter the context, giving them a second chance to catch mistakes before committing to an action.
Who this impacts
- People with cognitive impairments: Review and confirmation steps reduce stress and provide a safety net for avoiding errors.
- Everyone: Safeguards that allow users to double-check their input and make changes before finalizing actions benefit us all.
How to meet Error Prevention (All)
- Offer a review step before submission: Summarize user inputs and give them the chance to verify before proceeding.
- Allow corrections: Ensure users can edit their input during the review process.
- Confirm final actions explicitly: Use clear, labeled buttons like “Confirm Submission” or “Place Order” to require deliberate user action before proceeding.
Practical example
Meowcation’s “Plan Your Catcation” feature includes a “Review Your Trip” step, where users can double-check their travel dates, accommodations, and treat budget before confirming, or go back a step and edit their choices.
Top tips
- Be proactive with review steps: Let users confirm their input, especially on multi-step forms or actions with significant consequences.
- Use clear final action buttons: Label buttons explicitly to signal the finality of the action (e.g., “Confirm Reservation” or “Submit Application”).
- Test for clarity and accessibility: Verify that review and confirmation steps are easy to navigate and understand.