What to change
Ask your supplier to give processing and unavailable actions different clear explanations, then resolve processing into an accurate success or failure outcome.
A worked example
Illustrative example
Sending enquiry indicates an active request, while Choose a contact method explains an unavailable next action before the form is ready.
Why this matters to your practice
Sending and unavailable are different conditions. A visitor waiting for a request to finish needs reassurance that work is happening; someone missing a required answer needs to know what to change. If both states use the same dimmed button, uncertainty is likely. Ask your supplier to demonstrate them separately and agree concise wording for each. The label should change again when the action succeeds or fails, so a temporary message does not remain indefinitely without a useful next step.
A practical review example
A visitor may see the same faded button before choosing a contact method and after pressing Send. Those states require different responses: supply a choice in one case, wait for an outcome in the other. Ask your supplier to demonstrate both on a slower test connection. The message should identify what is happening and when it ends. A spinning symbol alone may suggest activity without proving the request started or explaining whether the person should do anything next.
How to check the result
Accept when visitors can tell whether to wait, supply information or retry, through wording and accessible feedback as well as styling.
A mistake to avoid
A spinner alone may show motion without identifying what is happening or whether the original action was registered.
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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