5. Remove Memory Burdens
While designers would love to have 100% of a user's attention at all times, realistically, users are humans who are likely multitasking and will get distracted or interrupted while using your product.
Especially in multi-step workflows, users may need to be reminded of some contextual information or may forget if they already completed a task. Interfaces need to be designed such that it is easy for a user to step away, come back, and immediately recall their progress.
Displaying contextual information within interfaces reduces the amount of information users need to remember, which makes it less likely that they will make a mistake from forgetting something. This also saves users time and effort from unintentionally completing the same step multiple times.
When importing patient data into CareMessage's web app, users select their desired action and then see the list of required and suggested fields to include in their file. This helps users remember which information they need to include without relying on users to have this information memorized.
After this upload step, users move to the second step of the file upload workflow, where they must match their file headings to the required fields. Once again, the required fields are clearly listed on the page, helping users remember which fields they need to have. To provide even more clarity, the required fields are checked off as users map them, and the "Next" button is disabled until all required fields have been matched.