Consistency

Plain English

Keeping things the same so users know what to expect.

Definition

Consistency is the use of uniform patternsglossary×PatternA pattern is a reusable solution to a design problem that recurs across products and contexts. It captures an approach already shown to work, so a team solves the problem once rather than every time it appears.Open glossary term→, behavioursglossary×BehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term→, and visual elements across a product to create familiarity and predictabilityglossary×PredictabilityPredictability refers to how well users can anticipate what will happen when they interact with a system.Open glossary term→. It helps users learn once and apply that knowledge throughout the experience.

In practice

Used to maintain consistent layoutsglossary×LayoutLayout is the arrangement of elements on a page or screen, determining how content is organised and presented. It influences readability, usability, and overall experience.Open glossary term→, interactionsglossary×InteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term→, and terminology across screens and featuresglossary×FeatureA feature is a specific piece of functionality within a product that delivers value to users. It represents something users can do or experience as part of the overall product.Open glossary term→.

In context

It is worth breaking deliberately and rarely. Making the destructive action look different from every other button is inconsistency doing useful work.

The reality

Inconsistency forces users to relearn the product over and over again.

Compared with