"Progress bars are prevalent in modern user interfaces. Typically, a linear function is employed such that the pro- gress of the bar is directly proportional to how much work has been completed. However, numerous factors cause progress bars to proceed at non-linear rates. Additionally, humans perceive time in a non-linear way. This paper ex- plores the impact of various progress bar behaviors on user perception of process duration. The results are used to sug- gest several design considerations that can make progress bars appear faster and ultimately improve users’ computing experience."
http://www.chrisharrison.net/projects/progressbars/ProgBarHarrison.pdf [PDF, ~1 MB]
