101 UX Principles

Chapter #84. Show, Don't Tell

The expression "show, don't tell" comes from screenwriting and fiction. Often attributed to playwright Anton Chekhov, the technique is intended to allow the reader to experience the story through action, words, senses and feelings, rather than through the author's exposition and description.

Show the viewer (or user) the situation and let them work out how they feel. It's also a great mantra to repeat to yourself if you're working on the experience of onboarding, feature guides, or other tuition—showing users how to use your product is always better than telling them.

The first reason for this is that users don't read text. Really, they don't. Time and again, in user test after user test, I've witnessed this with my ...