User Experience for Background Processes

Done well, background processes are a fantastic way to save time, and more importantly, save focus. Handing off monotonous chores so you can do something more challenging can be a true relief. Unfortunately, background processing isn’t always implemented well. When it’s done poorly, it can undermine trust in the system.

A lack of trust can have negative effects beyond just making people miserable. It can discourage exploration and discovery. It can force painful and inefficient workarounds. It can also cause data to be duplicated, forgotten, corrupted, or lost entirely.

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