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Discussion on: Should a button communicate the current state, the intended behavior, or both?

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Dave Blythe (he/him)

Hi Ben... GREAT question, and I've actually learned a ton from reading through the responses.

At the end of it all, to me I go back to my machinery/engineering roots:
A "button" is a "do" thing, It's an action, as mentioned, but at the core, it represents a verb.
The text on a button fills in the blank of this statement : "When I press here, it will do _____"
Follow, Save, Accept, Submit... they're all verbs.
When I reach for a button, my expectation is that it will "do" the verb that it says on it.

"Following" is not a verb (action), it's a state/condition.
( "All Notifs" in one example... not a verb (I wouldn't have clicked on it either ;) !)

When a button text gives me state, it's not very clear or distinct..
It requires more mental overhead, in that I have to think about different states, and translate to action.

When a button gives me a verb, it just seems more simple, natural, intuitive.

Be safe, be kind... wash your hands :)