Web applications: Losing users and losing work

Sometimes designers make it too easy for people to leave a site. For instance, having users click on advertisements may provide revenue for your site, but consider the tradeoff of losing users and losing work. Similarly, a site the offers attractive links like Increased performance in the context of performing a task, such as registering for a mailing list, may take users away from the task. The result may be that users never sign up and the site owner loses a reader or customer.

External links are more appropriate for information sites, where surfing is the primary activity, than for applications, where users have a task to complete. See an illustrated example.

While non-Web platforms provide clearly marked exit paths in applications, usually a Quit or Exit command on the File menu, Web applications do not have a way to stop "running" the application without closing the browser. Yet closing the browser contains no offer to save work in progress. Commonly, Web users leave an application by following a link to another page or site. Using the browser's Back button returns users to the application's pages, but not necessarily in the same state as when they left.

Seeing a clearly defined Exit link might help users remember to finish what they are doing before leaving an application. It could check that a task is complete and ask the user to confirm exiting. The benefit to the user increases by using such a link if you offer a reward, like a review of the changes made during a session or a receipt.

Here is a simple guideline to keep from losing users and losing work: Do not let your users leave before they are done with your site or before you are done with them. If it is important to provide links out of the product, try one of these techniques:

Have a special exit page showing external links and other useful information.

Put links in safe places so users do not lose work if they click and leave. Remind them to bookmark the page and return.

Use frames when users click an external link. One frame shows the external link, the other is a reminder to return.

Navigation in Web applications

1. Introduction
2. Basic navigation
3. Losing users and losing work
4. Separating the browser and the application
5. Lack of context
6. Delays caused by network connections
7. Conclusion

Download the full article (PDF, 52KB)