Doherty Threshold
People stay engaged when a system responds in under about 400 milliseconds.
Why it matters
Fast responses keep people in the flow of their task, while slow ones break their attention.
How to use it
- Find the slowest steps and speed them up.
- Show results right away, then confirm them in the background when it is safe.
- Use skeleton screens and progress bars when you cannot be fast.
Example
A menu that appears in 0.3 seconds feels instant, and one that takes 3 seconds invites people to leave.