What to change
Ask your supplier to tell visitors which condition prevents a significant action and how to meet it, rather than relying on a faded button alone.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A visitor sees that they must choose a contact preference before continuing, with the relevant question still available nearby.
Why this matters to your practice
A greyed-out button can leave someone guessing what they missed. If sending an enquiry depends on an unanswered question, explain that relationship close to the action. Ask your supplier to show each reason a significant button may be unavailable and how a visitor resolves it. Do not assume everyone will notice a subtle colour change. Reception can help judge whether the explanation uses familiar language and whether the stated requirement is actually necessary for the task.
A practical review example
A Continue button may be unavailable because no contact preference has been chosen. The visitor needs to know that relationship without hunting randomly through the page. Ask your supplier to show the nearby explanation through sight and reading software, even if the inactive button itself cannot be reached by keyboard. Select the missing preference and then remove it again. The action and explanation should follow the current answer promptly, without leaving an apparently ready form blocked by an old condition.
How to check the result
Accept when unavailable actions have a clear reason, an achievable next step and an accurate transition back to the active state.
A mistake to avoid
Making an inactive button almost invisible can hide the existence of the action as well as the reason it is unavailable.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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