Zeigarnik Effect
People remember interrupted or incomplete tasks better than completed tasks.
When to Use
Show progress indicators
Display progress bars, completion percentages, or step indicators to help users remember where they are in a process.
Use incomplete states strategically
Leave tasks visibly incomplete to encourage users to return and finish them.
Provide task lists
Give users a way to see and track incomplete tasks, which they'll remember better than completed ones.
When to Avoid
Don't interrupt critical tasks
While the effect can encourage return visits, avoid interrupting users during important or time-sensitive tasks.
Origin
The Zeigarnik Effect was discovered by Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik in the 1920s. She observed that waiters remembered orders that were still in progress better than orders that had been completed. This finding suggests that incomplete tasks create a psychological tension that makes them more memorable, which can be leveraged in interface design.