Progressive disclosure in UX design: Types and use cases

Progressive disclosure is a UX design technique aimed at reducing users' cognitive load by gradually revealing information as needed, which helps prevent them from feeling overwhelmed by large amounts of content. This method is particularly useful in scenarios such as onboarding new users, handling complex tasks, or designing for limited screen space. There are four main types of progressive disclosure: conditional, contextual, progressive enabling, and staged disclosure, each serving different user interaction needs. Techniques for implementing progressive disclosure include layering content, using expandable and collapsible sections, and integrating hover and click actions to maintain a clean and intuitive interface. The article emphasizes the importance of prioritizing information, ensuring consistency, and tailoring experiences to different user segments while also suggesting prototyping and testing to refine the design based on user feedback. By effectively applying progressive disclosure, designers can create interfaces that are easy to navigate and enhance user satisfaction and engagement.