TLDR Design · OPINIONS & TUTORIALS

FRICTION BY DESIGN

carlbarenbrug.com2 min read

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Frictionless digital design optimizes for speed and efficiency, but removing all obstacles can eliminate awareness and meaningful decision-making. Deliberately designed friction—like confirmation pauses or undo delays—create moments of attention that respect human judgment rather than pushing machine-speed interactions. Good friction is intentional and purposeful, while bad friction wastes time without delivering value.