In design, it’s often the smallest things that leave the biggest impression. But sometimes, they can throw off an entire experience. We’ve all seen it happen: a confusing switch, a dialog that overwhelms, or a badge that feels more distracting than helpful. These tiny details can have a huge impact on how users interact with your product. But getting them right isn’t always as straightforward as it seems.
The good news? Often, adhering to a few simple rules can prevent the most common design mistakes. By following the correct guidelines, you can transform these minor UI elements into essential components of the user experience.
In this series of blogs, we’ll take a closer look at some small but mighty UI elements, starting with dialogs.
Dialogs: When and How to Use Them
Dialogs are those little windows that pop up in front of your app content, asking you to do something.
They're meant to be irritating, and they're used to send important information or prompt users to make decisions.
It's important that dialogs always have a clear purpose, whether they are asking for permission to delete a file or confirming location access.
But here’s the catch: because they block the rest of the app, dialogs should be used sparingly. When misused, they frustrate users, disrupt the flow, and clutter the experience. That’s why knowing when to use them and how to get them right is key.
Let's go over the dos and don'ts of writing good dialogue, starting with some places where people often go wrong:
1. Clear Prompts
Do: Use dialogs for critical, high-priority actions or information that require user acknowledgment. This includes tasks such as deleting files or confirming changes.
Don’t: Don’t use dialogs for low-priority messages or prompts. Instead, consider less intrusive elements like snackbars for these scenarios.
Dialogs are interruptive by nature, so only use them when the user needs to take action before moving on. If it doesn’t stop the world, it doesn’t need a dialog.
2. Headlines
Do: Write headlines that are clear, to the point, and say what the dialog is about in a single sentence or question. For instance, “Delete this photo?” or “Enable location services?”
Don’t: Avoid vague, ambiguous, or overly dramatic headlines like “Are you sure?” or “Warning!” These are challenging to understand and don't give people enough information to act on.
A good headline lets people know exactly what you want them to do and makes it easy for them to make a choice. Keep it short, clear, and straight to the point.
3. Actions
Do: Place confirming actions (e.g., “Agree” or “Save”) on the right and dismissive actions (e.g., “Cancel”) on the left. To avoid accidental actions, always disable confirming actions until you make a choice.
Don’t: Swapping the places of the "Confirm" and "Disclose" buttons is not what users expect, so don't do it. Also, don’t overload dialogs with multiple actions, because it only creates confusion.
When it comes to buttons, less is more. Keep the alignment logical and intuitive, especially for accessibility.
4. Choice
Do: Give users choices that are easy to understand and that they can act on. If there’s only one action, make it an acknowledgment like “Got it” or “Okay.” If there are two actions, make it clear which ones confirm and which ones don't.
Don’t: Avoid vague or unclear choices, such as “Cancel” with no context. The choices should always correspond directly to the dialog's purpose.
Unclear choices leave users guessing, which is the opposite of what a dialog should do. Always design for clarity.
5. Content
Do: A dialog's content should be concise, pertinent, and directly related to the task at hand. Put less important information in non-blocking elements like banners or inline text.
Don’t: Don't fill up dialog boxes with too much information that doesn't need user's focus right away.
Remember, dialogs stop the user’s flow, so only include what’s absolutely necessary. Anything else should live elsewhere in the UI.
Dialogs are small moments in design, but they hold a lot of weight. They ask for attention, pause the flow, and demand action. If you follow these dos and don'ts, your dialogs will feel planned, natural, and user-friendly.
The trick is simple: only use them when needed and always make them easy to understand. And when in doubt, ask yourself: Does this dialog make the user’s life easier? If the answer is no, it might be time to rethink.
With dialogs done, we’re moving on to the next piece of the puzzle in our series on designing better. Keep following us for more tips and tricks!