Chapter 24: Design Patterns

Design patterns help keep scanning consistent while still allowing speed and flexibility.

Patterns That Work Well

• Progressive disclosure: show a small set of core items first, then expand.
• Most recently used (MRU): bubble frequent selections to faster positions.
• Predictive order: place likely next items earlier in the scan path.
• Context-aware grids: switch layouts based on task context (spelling vs. commands).
• Safe defaults: a “slow and clear” profile that users can always return to.

When to Avoid Patterns

Avoid patterns that reorder too aggressively during a selection. Sudden movement breaks timing and increases errors.