The dilemma of control awareness is about controls applicable to certain situations but inapplicable otherwise. The dilemma is whether to show controls when they are not operative and whether to enable them.

Guidelines

  Enable controls on screens used in routine interaction even when they are irrelevant to the situation in order to provide users with operational information and instructions. Mark the irrelevant control with a special mark, similar to graying-out disabled controls.

  Hide controls on screens used in recovery interaction and in warning messages if the controls are irrelevant to the situation.

 


Updated on 13 Jul 2016.