What's an Affordance in UX Design? - UX Terms to Know

First, let's clear up a common misconception: affordances have nothing to do with how much money you've got in your pocket or what you can “afford” (sorry, bad joke). But, mishandle them in UX, and they might just affect your company's bottom line! What’s an affordance in UX design?

Affordances in UX design refer to the potential interactions an object or element can offer. You can think of it as the unspoken language between a user and an interface. A clear affordance definition would be the possible actions that an interface element suggests, both from a UI standpoint (visual cues) and from users' past experiences.

Here’s a video you can watch to quickly learn what affordances are and why they’re significant:

The origin of affordances

American psychologist James Gibson first introduced the term "affordance" back in 1977. His explorations, which many stakeholders in the UX industry now embrace, provided a fresh perspective on how end users perceive and interact with the digital world, aligning closely with their mental model. It revolved around the interactive possibilities an object presents to its users.

Fast forward a few years, and the concept of affordances was later popularized in the design community by Don Norman. He emphasized that affordances aren’t only physically possible actions, but are the ones that users perceive as possible.

Here are some real-world examples of affordances:

• The "insert coin" slot on a vending machine? This is a classic UX affordance indicating that a coin should be deposited.
• A website button's material design makes it look clickable, thereby reducing a user’s cognitive load and fitting their mental model of interactive elements.
• The dropdown menu with a pull-down arrow is a blend of both affordances and signifiers, suggesting more options.

Why are affordances important?

A successful design often strikes a balance between these different affordance considerations to create a seamless and user-friendly experience:

Usability and clarity

Affordances that enhance usability and provide clarity in how to interact with an interface are often the most crucial. Users should be able to easily understand how to perform actions without confusion.

Intuitiveness

Intuitive affordances are essential because they reduce the learning curve for users. When interactions feel natural and require minimal thought, users are more likely to have a positive experience.

Efficiency

Affordances that promote efficient interactions are highly valuable. Users appreciate when they can accomplish tasks quickly and without unnecessary steps or delays.

Error prevention

Affordances that guide users away from unintended actions and errors are vital. Preventing user mistakes can save time and frustration for both the user and the designer.

Inclusivity

Affordances that cater to a broad range of users, including those with varying levels of experience and abilities, are crucial for creating accessible and inclusive designs.

Consistency

Maintaining consistency in affordance patterns across an interface is important for building trust and ensuring that users can predict how elements will behave.

Types of affordances in UI

Here are some affordances to consider when designing a product or service:

Perceptible affordances

These are visible characteristics of objects that naturally suggest to users how they should be used, making it intuitive for you to engage with them. For instance, a pull-down lever on a water dispenser is a perceptible affordance because it provides hints on what actions are possible with them.

Hidden affordances

In cases where affordances aren't immediately apparent in user interfaces, users like you rely on your prior experiences or trial and error to identify potential actions, such as hovering or clicking to reveal dropdown menus.

False affordances

False affordances occur when an object's features mislead you into thinking you can perform certain actions that aren't actually possible. An example is a decorative button that appears clickable but has no functionality.

Physical affordances

These involve perceptible attributes that explicitly guide you on how to interact with an object, like a large, prominently displayed "Subscribe" button that invites you to take action on a website.

Cognitive affordances

Cognitive affordances encompass design elements that capture your attention or deliver clear information. Think of clearly labeled navigation links that help you anticipate where you'll go when you click them.

Sensory affordances

Sensory affordances include design features that engage your senses, like providing audible or visual feedback (e.g., a ping sound) to signal the availability of an update.

Functional affordances

Functional affordances are design elements that actively assist you in accomplishing specific tasks. An example would be an "Undo" option that appears after you've made a mistake in a document.

Pattern-based affordances

Sensory affordances encompass design features that engage your senses to convey information, such as a subtle "ping" sound or a blinking light that when a software update is available.

Negative affordances

Negative affordances restrict you from progressing toward a goal until you fulfill specific requirements, often seen as elements like a grayed-out "Create account" button that remains inactive until you complete a form.

UX affordances have a partner in crime: signifiers

Alongside UX affordances, there are signifiers. These are cues that guide users on how to recognize and interact with affordances.

For example, picture the website's search bar as the affordance. Now, when you see a magnifying glass icon inside or next to it, think of it as the signifier. That magnifying glass icon tells you, “Click here to start searching.” It's like a sign saying, “This is how you find what you're looking for.'

The Inclusive design principles dictate that superior UX lies in striking the right balance between affordances and signifiers so that interfaces can remain intuitive, reduce design debt, and align well with usability heuristics.

As the design process progresses, evolving from initial wireframes to the final prototype, careful consideration of affordances becomes pivotal. Designers often employ various tools and techniques, such as affinity diagrams, user personas, atomic research, focus groups, and triangulation methods.

These methods help refine the information hierarchy, ensuring that the end product, even when starting as a minimal viable product (MVP), aligns closely with user expectations.

How can UserBit help with affordances?

Have no fear! UserBit offers a comprehensive suite of tools and features that can assist you in designing interfaces with effective affordances:

1. Interview management

Through interviews, you can gain insights into how users expect to interact with your product. UserBit's interview management resources aid in collecting valuable information for refining affordances.

2. Personas

Creating user personas in UserBit helps in understanding the various user groups and their unique needs, enabling the design of tailored affordances for each persona.

3. Journey maps

Mapping out user journeys highlights touchpoints where affordances play a critical role. UserBit's journey mapping tools assist in aligning affordances with user actions and expectations.

4. Flow diagrams

Visualizing user flows and interactions can help in the precise placement of affordances along the user's path, enhancing the overall usability of the interface.

5. Card sort studies

Effective card sorting studies can reveal how users naturally group and expect to interact with content. This information can inform the organization and labeling of affordances.

6. Visual sitemaps

UserBit's visual sitemaps enable you to design and visualize the structure of your interface, including the placement and accessibility of affordances.