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The Problem & Objective:

The platform supports time-sensitive government workflows where successful submission is critical. After users clicked submit, the interface displayed only a generic loading spinner with the text:

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However, the interface provided:

• No progress indication

• No status clarification

• No reassurance that the system was functioning

As a result:

• Users assumed the system had frozen

• Many refreshed the page

• Refreshing caused process restarts or system errors

 

What appeared to be a technical failure was largely a perception and communication problem.

 

Methodology:

To conduct this study, I utilized several methods:

• Reading support tickets regarding this issue

• User interviews

Key insights from these methods included:

• Users interpreted prolonged loading as a failure

• Lack of progress feedback increased anxiety

• Users are refreshed within seconds when unsure

• Users wanted confirmation that their action was being processed

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Recommendations:

Design a modal that provides explicit system status feedback and warns users not to refresh.

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Solution:

I designed a loading modal that:

• Met WCAG accessibility standards

• Communicated that the system was actively processing

• Provided clear reassurance messaging

•  Reduced uncertainty during wait times

• Encouraged users to remain on the page

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Impact:

This modal was implemented into the system, resulting in:

• Within 3 months of release, support tickets related to submission failures decreased by 60%.

• Overall user satisfaction rate increased.

Users reported feeling:

• More confident during submission

• Less likely to refresh

• More trusting of the system

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