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Sample prompt and output for tokenisation calculations

ID Subject Generated LLM Platform Prompt Chars Prompt Words Output Chars Output Words Total Chars Total Words
1 Conventions in UI design 11-12-2024 GPT 4o Perplexity AI 196 35 4334 672 4530 707

Prompt

The standard "zoom in" shortcut is holding down control and using the mouse wheel. This is pretty common across UIs. Is there a list of de facto "default" behaviors that users have come to expect?

Output

You asked if there is a list of de facto "default" behaviors that users have come to expect in user interfaces (UIs). While there isn't a single, universally agreed-upon list, there are numerous common patterns and behaviors that have become standard across digital interfaces. These behaviors are based on user expectations formed by repeated exposure to similar interactions across platforms, applications, and devices. Here are some of the most widely recognized default behaviors:

Common Default UI Behaviors

1. Zooming and Scrolling

  • Zoom In/Out: Holding down Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and using the mouse wheel is a common way to zoom in and out of content. This works in browsers, image editors, and many other applications.
  • Scrolling: Using the mouse wheel or touchpad to scroll vertically through content is expected behavior in most interfaces.

2. Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Copy/Paste: Ctrl + C for copy and Ctrl + V for paste are universal across most operating systems and applications.
  • Undo/Redo: Ctrl + Z for undo and Ctrl + Y (or Ctrl + Shift + Z) for redo are standard shortcuts for reversing actions.
  • Save: Ctrl + S is widely used for saving files or documents.

3. Navigation Patterns

  • Back Button: The browser's back button or the back arrow in apps is universally recognized as a way to return to the previous page or screen.
  • Home Button: Clicking a website's logo (usually top-left) typically takes users back to the homepage[3].
  • Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumb navigation helps users understand their current location within a site's hierarchy and navigate back[9].

4. Form Interactions

  • Tab Navigation: Users expect to move between form fields by pressing the Tab key.
  • Enter to Submit: Pressing Enter in a form field often submits the form, especially when filling out login or search forms.
  • Default Selections: Pre-filled fields (such as country or date) with the most common values are expected[6]. For example, forms may default to "United States" for country fields when relevant.

5. Buttons and Actions

  • OK/Cancel Placement: In dialog boxes, "OK" is typically placed on the right, while "Cancel" is on the left. Reversing this order can confuse users[4].
  • Primary Action Buttons: The primary action button (e.g., "Submit," "Save") is usually highlighted with a distinct color, making it stand out as the default next step[9].

6. Feedback Mechanisms

  • Hover Effects: Users expect visual feedback (such as color changes) when hovering over clickable elements like buttons or links[3].
  • Loading Indicators: Progress bars or spinning icons are expected when content is loading, giving users feedback that an action is being processed.

7. Content Display

  • Infinite Scroll: On social media platforms and news sites, users expect continuous content loading as they scroll down the page[7].
  • Pagination Controls: Where infinite scroll isn’t used, pagination at the bottom of lists or galleries allows users to navigate through multiple pages of content.

8. Search Functionality

  • Magnifying Glass Icon: The magnifying glass icon is universally recognized as representing search functionality[5].
  • Autocomplete Suggestions: Users expect search bars to offer suggestions as they type, speeding up their search process.

9. Error Handling

  • Error Messages: Clear error messages with explanations of what went wrong and how to fix it are expected when something goes wrong in forms or processes[3].
  • Undo Options: Users expect the ability to undo recent actions, especially in complex workflows like editing documents or images[4].

10. Social Sharing and Interaction

  • Share Icons: Social media share buttons (often represented by icons like Facebook’s logo or Twitter’s bird) are commonly found on blogs and news sites[7].

These patterns emerge from years of research into user behavior and are widely implemented because they reduce cognitive load by leveraging familiarity. When users encounter these behaviors across different platforms, they can interact more efficiently without needing to relearn how each interface works.

By adhering to these conventions, designers create intuitive experiences that meet user expectations while minimizing friction in navigation and interaction.