Mastering the Art of Button Design: Why Loading States Matter

4 min readFeb 4, 2024

Buttons in user interfaces are often seen as simple elements with just two states: enabled and disabled. However, there’s another important state that designers often overlook — the loading state. This loading state becomes crucial in scenarios where actions take longer than expected to complete. In this blog post, we’ll explore why showing a button’s loading state is essential for a seamless user experience.

Action Errors: The Consequences of Neglecting Loading States

Imagine a scenario where a user initiates an action by clicking a button, such as submitting a form or processing a request. In most cases, these actions are expected to happen within seconds. However, in instances where the operation takes longer to complete, a problem arises if users don’t see any indication of progress.

When users don’t receive feedback that the system is processing their request, they may assume that they didn’t press the button correctly. This confusion can lead them to click the button repeatedly, thinking that their initial action didn’t register. Unfortunately, this can result in several adverse consequences:

Increased Processing Load:

Each additional button click adds to the system’s processing load, potentially causing performance issues.

Duplicate Operations:

Depending on the context, multiple button clicks can lead to duplicate operations, such as sending repetitive messages, submitting forms multiple times, or ordering the same product twice.

Data Cleanup Efforts:

Dealing with these action errors creates extra data that needs to be managed and cleaned up, which can be a time-consuming and costly process.

To avoid these issues, it’s imperative to provide users with a clear indication of the loading state of a button when operations take longer than two seconds to complete.

Enter Progress Buttons: Visual Cues for Loading States

A progress button is a user interface element designed to convey the loading state of a button. It serves as a visual cue, reassuring users that their action is being processed. By showing users that something is happening, progress buttons significantly reduce the likelihood of users repeatedly clicking the button.

Here are some key considerations for implementing progress buttons effectively:

Placement:

The progress indicator should ideally be displayed on the button itself. Users are already looking at the button when they initiate an action, so having the indicator on the button aligns with their visual field.

Design Consistency:

Progress buttons should maintain a consistent style to ensure users can readily recognize the loading state. The indicator should not conflict with other screen elements.

Size and Dimensions:

The progress indicator should not alter the button’s size or dimensions. A transparent background can signify a disabled state, and a high-contrast color can be used for the indicator.

Button Label Visibility:

The loading indicator should not obscure the button label. Consider using a linear progress indicator if space is limited, or display the progress at the top edge of the button if it has sharp corners.

Label Update:

To provide further clarity, consider changing the button label to describe the ongoing process. For instance, change “submit” to “submitting…” to inform users about the action in progress. Note that this approach may not work if the button’s width is insufficient for a longer label.

Follow the Two-Second Rule: Prioritize Loading States

While designers often focus on the enabled and disabled states of buttons, the loading state is equally important, especially when actions take longer to complete. Progress buttons are an effective tool to prevent action errors, enhance user experience, and reduce the workload on both users and system administrators.

Incorporating progress buttons into your UI design not only improves the user experience but also contributes to smoother interactions and a more efficient system. So, the next time you’re designing buttons for your interface, remember the two-second rule and ensure that users are well-informed about the loading state of the actions they initiate. Your users — and your data cleanup efforts — will thank you for it.