curiositech/ux-friction-analyzer

UX Friction Analyzer

A comprehensive skill for analyzing and optimizing user experience through cognitive psychology, ADHD-friendly design, and flow state engineering.

Decision Points

Use this decision matrix when conflicting ADHD principles and cognitive load types collide:

Cognitive Load vs ADHD Principle Conflicts

| Situation | If High Intrinsic Load | If High Extraneous Load | If High Germane Load | |-----------|----------------------|------------------------|-------------------| | Progressive Disclosure vs Information Need | Hide advanced features; show essentials only | Remove ALL decorative elements; show task steps linearly | Group related info; use expandable sections | | Context Preservation vs Working Memory | Auto-save every keystroke; show current state banner | Clear all non-essential UI; focus on one input field | Save drafts; provide "where you left off" panels | | Chunked Progress vs Task Flow | Break into micro-tasks (1-2 min each) | Show progress bar; hide future steps completely | Use card-based UI; each card = one concept | | Predictable Navigation vs Personalization | Keep identical layout always; disable customization | Use breadcrumbs; limit to 3-level hierarchy max | Offer simple/advanced modes; user chooses complexity |

Primary Decision Tree

User arrives → What's their cognitive state?

├─ FOCUSED & ENERGETIC
│  ├─ Goal: Complete complex task
│  │  → Use power-user shortcuts + batch operations
│  └─ Goal: Explore/learn
│     → Show advanced features + guided tour
│
├─ DISTRACTED/MULTITASKING  
│  ├─ On mobile
│  │  → Single-column layout + floating action button
│  └─ On desktop
│     → Minimize chrome + auto-save everything
│
├─ OVERWHELMED/ANXIOUS
│  ├─ First-time user
│  │  → Wizard flow + success celebrations
│  └─ Returning user hitting error
│     → Clear error recovery + undo options
│
└─ TIME-PRESSURED/URGENT
   ├─ Regular task
   │  → Smart defaults + keyboard shortcuts
   └─ Crisis situation
      → Emergency mode UI + direct contact options

Friction vs Feature Trade-offs

When feature requests conflict with friction reduction:

• If feature adds >2 seconds to primary flow: Defer to advanced mode
• If feature requires >4 mental chunks: Break into wizard steps
• If feature serves <20% of users: Hide behind "More options"
• If feature needs learning curve: Provide in-context help only

Failure Modes

1. Overwhelm Cascade

Detection Rule: If user abandons before completing first meaningful action

• Symptom: High bounce rate on landing page, users don't scroll
• Diagnosis: Too many choices presented simultaneously
• Fix: Progressive disclosure - show only 1-2 primary actions initially

2. Context Switch Death Spiral

Detection Rule: If user takes >23 minutes to complete familiar 5-minute task

• Symptom: Users losing place repeatedly, restarting workflows
• Diagnosis: Interface doesn't preserve context across interruptions
• Fix: Add "Continue where you left off" persistent banner

3. Invisible Progress Paralysis

Detection Rule: If users repeatedly ask "Is this working?" during long operations

• Symptom: Users refresh page during background processing
• Diagnosis: No feedback on system state or progress
• Fix: Real-time progress indicators + time estimates

4. Micro-Friction Accumulation

Detection Rule: If completion rates drop >15% despite no major UX changes

• Symptom: Users complete individual steps but abandon before final step
• Diagnosis: Small frictions compound into abandonment
• Fix: Remove one minor friction point per week systematically

5. Expert User Imprisonment

Detection Rule: If power users complain about "dumbed down" interface

• Symptom: Feature requests for keyboard shortcuts, batch operations
• Diagnosis: Optimized for beginners, frustrated experts
• Fix: Adaptive UI that reveals complexity based on user behavior

Worked Examples

Example 1: E-commerce Checkout for ADHD User

Scenario: User with ADHD purchasing laptop accessories, gets distracted mid-checkout

Current Flow Analysis:

0:00  User adds items to cart (3 items)
      └─ Cart shows: Item list, recommendations, promo codes, shipping calculator

0:30  Clicks "Checkout" → Redirected to shipping form
      └─ Form has 12 fields, required fields marked with *
      
1:45  Phone notification interrupts
      └─ User checks notification, returns to checkout
      
2:30  User confused - form partially filled but unclear what's complete
      └─ Starts over, re-enters shipping address
      
4:00  Gets to payment step → Credit card form asks for billing address
      └─ User forgot if billing = shipping, sees no indication
      
6:15  Completes payment → "Processing..." with spinning wheel
      └─ No time estimate, user worries something broke
      
7:30  Success page → Generic "Order complete" message
      └─ User unsure what happens next, when items ship

Decision Points Hit:

• Distracted/Multitasking + Time-pressured → Should use auto-save + progress preservation
• High Extraneous Load (too many form fields) → Should chunk into steps
• Context Switch event → Need re-orientation support

Optimized Flow:

0:00  User adds items to cart
      └─ Cart shows: Item list only, single "Secure Checkout" button (44px tall)

0:15  Checkout → Single step: "Where should we ship this?"
      └─ Address form only, with "Use my saved address" option
      └─ Auto-save on every keystroke
      
1:30  Phone interrupts → User leaves page

2:00  User returns → Banner: "Continue your checkout - we saved your progress"
      └─ Address pre-filled, "Next: Payment" button ready
      
2:15  Payment step → "Same billing address?" with Yes (default) / No toggle
      └─ Credit card form with visual validation (green checkmarks)
      
3:00  Submit → "Processing payment..." with progress bar
      └─ "This usually takes 10-15 seconds"
      
3:15  Success → "Order #12345 confirmed! Ships Tuesday, arrives Friday"
      └─ "Track your order" button + calendar reminder option

Key Changes:

• Reduced 12 form fields to 3 focused steps
• Added auto-save and progress restoration
• Provided time estimates for all wait states
• Used recognition over recall for billing address

Example 2: Software Dashboard Friction Audit

Scenario: SaaS analytics dashboard used by marketing teams

Journey Simulation:

User Intent: Create weekly report for executive team
Cognitive State: Time-pressured (due in 30 minutes)
Experience Level: Intermediate (uses tool monthly)

FRICTION AUDIT:
0:00  Lands on dashboard → 47 different widgets/charts visible
      FRICTION: Overwhelm Cascade - too many data points
      COGNITIVE LOAD: High extraneous
      
0:45  Looking for "Create Report" function → Finds it in hamburger menu
      FRICTION: Hidden primary action
      TIME LOSS: 45 seconds of hunting
      
1:30  Report builder opens → 23 chart type options in dropdown
      FRICTION: Too many choices for time-pressured user
      DECISION NEEDED: Past reports were always bar charts + line graphs
      
3:00  Selects data sources → Interface shows all 47 available sources
      FRICTION: No smart filtering based on user's team/role
      TIME LOSS: 90 seconds scrolling through irrelevant options
      
5:30  Starts building first chart → No template from last week's report
      FRICTION: No learning from user patterns
      CONTEXT SWITCH RISK: User might leave to find last week's report
      
8:00  Chart renders slowly (12 seconds) → No progress indication
      FRICTION: Invisible Progress Paralysis
      USER ANXIETY: "Is it broken? Should I refresh?"
      
15:00 Report preview → Executive template not applied automatically
       FRICTION: Micro-friction accumulation
       EXPERT USER ISSUE: No keyboard shortcuts for power users

Optimization Decisions:

• Overwhelmed + Time-pressured → Use smart defaults + recent templates
• High Extraneous Load → Filter options by user role/past behavior
• Expert User + Familiar task → Provide power-user shortcuts

Quality Gates

Before considering a UX friction audit complete, verify:

Quantitative Metrics:

• [ ] Task completion time reduced by ≥25% from baseline
• [ ] Error rate decreased to ≤5% for primary user flows
• [ ] Cognitive load score ≤6/10 (measured via NASA-TLX or user interviews)
• [ ] Time-to-first-value ≤60 seconds for new users
• [ ] Context switch recovery time ≤90 seconds

User Experience Validation:

• [ ] 3+ real users completed full journey without assistance
• [ ] Zero critical accessibility violations (WCAG AA compliance)
• [ ] Mobile touch targets ≥44px for all interactive elements
• [ ] Page load times ≤3 seconds for all critical path pages

Design System Compliance:

• [ ] All ADHD-friendly patterns implemented (auto-save, progress indicators, calm UI)
• [ ] Fitts' Law violations eliminated (button sizing, placement)
• [ ] Working memory limits respected (≤4 simultaneous UI elements requiring attention)
• [ ] Every user action has clear feedback within 0.1 seconds
• [ ] Error states include specific recovery instructions, not generic messages

NOT-FOR Boundaries

Do NOT use this skill for:

• Visual design execution → Use [web-design-expert] instead

  • Creating mockups, choosing colors, typography decisions
  • Pixel-perfect layout implementation

• A/B testing setup or statistical analysis → Use [frontend-developer] + [data-analyst] instead

  • Test implementation, traffic splitting, conversion tracking
  • Statistical significance calculations, test result interpretation

• Accessibility compliance auditing → Use [accessibility-auditor] instead

  • WCAG checklist verification, screen reader testing
  • Legal compliance documentation, remediation prioritization

• Technical performance optimization → Use [frontend-developer] instead

  • Code optimization, bundle splitting, caching strategies
  • Database query optimization, API response times

• User research methodology → Use [user-researcher] instead

  • Interview guide creation, survey design, usability testing protocols
  • Qualitative data analysis, persona development from research

Boundary Decision Rule: If the task requires specialized domain expertise beyond UX psychology and cognitive principles, delegate to the appropriate specialist skill.