Chapter #6. Use an Ellipsis to Indicate That There's a Further Step
If your user sees a "Remove" button, how do they know if pressing it will:
- Remove the "thing" they're looking at?
- Ask which "thing" needs to be removed?
- Ask them if they really want to remove the "thing"?
- Instantly remove all their stuff?
Label the button "Remove…" and the user will have a good idea that there's another step before all their stuff is removed. Most users will infer from this that the button is the first part of a multi-part process and there will be a second step to confirm or cancel the action. If a control requires an extra step to perform its action, include an ellipsis (...) in the control:
New Tab just opens a new tab, while Email Link… will ask for more information in the next step
These little dots are a great example of invisible design: most users will never have even noticed them, but they impart a subtle message as a user's experience builds over time. They don't get in the way and they "just wor."