Habits & Interface Design
Notifications, infinite scroll, autoplay, streaks, read receipts, focus controls and the design patterns behind everyday use.
Why digital things pull attention
Each page answers one durable question, then points to the neighboring layer so you can understand the system rather than collect disconnected definitions.
Notification
A message surfaced by an operating system, browser or app to bring an event back into the user’s attention.
Understand it →delivery conceptPush Notification
A notification that can be delivered to a device or browser from a remote service, often even when the original app or page is not in the foreground.
Understand it →interface patternNotification Badge
A small count or marker attached to an app icon or interface element to signal unseen or pending activity.
Understand it →interface patternInfinite Scroll
A feed design that loads more content as the user approaches the end, removing the clear stopping point created by pages.
Understand it →interface patternAutoplay
A setting or design that begins the next piece of media without requiring a fresh play action from the user.
Understand it →messaging featureRead Receipt
A status indicator that tells the sender that a message has been opened or marked as read by the recipient’s app.
Understand it →messaging featureTyping Indicator
A temporary signal showing that another participant appears to be composing a message.
Understand it →engagement patternStreak
A visible count of consecutive days or sessions in which a user completes a repeated action.
Understand it →behavior conceptRecommendation Loop
A feedback cycle in which user behavior influences recommendations and those recommendations then shape the user’s next behavior.
Understand it →interface conceptDark Pattern
A user-interface design that obscures, subverts or impairs a person’s ability to make a free and informed choice.
Understand it →behavior conceptScreen Time
A broad measure of time spent using screens or particular apps, useful as a rough lens but not a complete description of what the time was for.
Understand it →attention controlFocus Mode
A device or app feature that reduces interruptions by limiting notifications, apps or visible distractions for a chosen period or context.
Understand it →