Interaction patterns
Interaction patterns provide repeatable, proven solutions for common scenarios in MAI workflows. They help ensure consistency, predictability, and efficiency in user interactions, reducing cognitive load and error rates.
These patterns include guidance on:
Error recovery - how to help users get back on track
Navigation - when to allow moving back and forth between steps
Pagination - when to split information into multiple screens
Confirmation flows - when to ask for explicit user consent before a critical action
Error recovery
Errors are inevitable in fast-paced environments. Effective error recovery helps users get back on track quickly, reducing frustration and downtime.
🟢 Best practices
Use Notification templates to provide clear, actionable error messages - tell the user what went wrong and what to do next (e.g., "Invalid item. Please rescan.").
Offer a clear "Retry" or "Back" option if the action can be corrected.
Use consistent error colors (e.g., red).
🔴 Avoid
Vague messages like "Error" without context.
Resetting the entire workflow on minor errors - preserve as much progress as possible.
Relying only on text for critical errors - combine with color, icon, and/or vibration.
Using the same button for "Retry" and "Cancel" unless clearly separated.
Pagination
MAI Workflow and List templates can use small dot indicators for pagination, allowing users to navigate through multiple screens of related information.
🟢 Best practices
Use pagination for secondary details that complement the main data.
Keep the first screen focused on critical data.
🔴 Avoid
Don't overload each page with unrelated content.
Don't split critical, tightly connected info across multiple pages.
Confirmations
Confirmations should be used to prevent costly mistakes by requiring the user to confirm critical actions before they are executed. Examples include:
Completing a task
Deleting an item
Overriding an error
🟢 Best practices
Use confirmation for irreversible actions.
Clearly state the impact of the action.
🔴 Avoid
Don't overuse confirmations for routine actions.
Don't use vague text like "Are you sure?" without context.