• Introduction

Temporality

Time is a fundamental dimension of human experience. It is the medium through which relationships are built, trust is established, and agency is negotiated.

Rhythm

The beat-by-beat flow of interaction. This is where conversation happens.

  • Turn-taking: The gap between user action and system response.
  • Pacing: Is the interaction fast and efficient (e.g. using command menu) or slow and reflective (e.g. in a wizard or when adding annotations)?
  • Latency: Both technical latency and intentional delay used to communicate “thinking”, “effort”, or to prevent overwhelming the user.

The session-level arc is covered by how interaction unfolds over time.

Lifecycle

The evolution of the user’s relationship with the system over days, weeks, or months.

  • Orientation: Initial learning and discovery
  • Incorporation: Efficiency and integration—shortcuts, reduced density, staying out of the way
  • Identification: Expression and connection—customisation, personalisation

History

How the system handles the past, present, and future.

  • Past: logs, undo, version history. The ability to “rewind” time. Annotations also serve as “wear”—visible traces of past attention.
  • Present: The current state and focus.
  • Future: Anticipation, prediction, and suggestion. Drafts, previews, and “what-if” spaces let people explore possible futures before committing—supporting play, learning, and confident decision-making.

Synchronicity

The temporal mode of interaction and collaboration.

  • Synchronous: Real-time, simultaneous interaction requiring immediate response
  • Asynchronous: Deferred interaction allowing considered responses across time
  • Different tasks and collaboration modes require different temporal rhythms (see Collaboration)

Duration

How the system communicates time passing and progress.

  • Progress: Showing advancement through tasks or processes
  • Loading: Managing expectations during system operations
  • Persistence: When and how changes are saved

Resources