TimespentEXAMPLE 01
Make an empty workspace explorable
Timespent provides demonstration activities on a blank starting screen. A newcomer can inspect working examples before inventing their own content.
Knowledge Gap
Teach the missing knowledge at the point of need.
01 / UNDERSTAND
The idea
The knowledge gap is the difference between what someone understands and what the task requires. Good onboarding and help target that difference. Do not assume people need a tour of every feature.
A knowledge gap is missing information needed to use a feature effectively. It differs from an optional curiosity gap. Teach the unfamiliar concept close to the action it enables. Role-playing what a helpful person would explain beside a new user can reveal missing context, but it does not replace research with actual users.
02 / RECOGNISE
See it in real products.
Examples of how the principle can appear in an interface.
03 / CONNECT
Why it matters.
Missing task knowledge can reduce feature use and lead to frustration or abandonment. Relevant examples and well-timed teaching can make the next action understandable.
Possible influences to investigate, rather than guaranteed outcomes for every product.
04 / APPLY
Put it into practice.
- 01
Identify unfamiliar concepts
- 02
Explain them where they affect a choice
- 03
Check understanding with a real task
05 / EXPLORE WITH UPSLIDE
Apply it with Upslide.
Use a practical guide, read a deeper explanation, or examine a related Upslide project.
The SaaS Redesign Research Framework
Find the missing domain knowledge before deciding whether a tooltip or tutorial is enough.
HR Software UX Design: Employee, Manager and Admin Workflows
5 mins readFollow employee, manager and administrator tasks to see where guidance and ownership are needed.
See how unclear actions and missing setup guidance affected HRETE’s onboarding.
CONNECT THE IDEAS
Related principles
Keep exploring
A shared boundary makes separate elements feel like one group.
