Loading states design

Loading states design is working through what happens in the interface during a wait: loading indicators (spinners), progress bars (when progress can be shown), skeleton screens (see 971), smooth content reveals, optimistic updates, clear messages on a long load. The goal is for the wait to feel shorter, clearer and calmer, and the interface not to look broken or frozen. Honestly about the key distinction — perception vs reality: loading states work with PERCEIVED performance (how the wait feels), not REAL speed. A well-chosen indicator or skeleton makes the wait psychologically nicer, but does NOT speed up loading by a single millisecond. If the backend/request/images are really slow — that is fixed by optimization (performance, cache, asset size), a separate engineering task, not state design. Promising to 'speed up the product' via loaders would be dishonest. Honestly about the masking limit: perception can be improved, but if the wait is really long (seconds and seconds), no nice loader will save it — the user will still get tired. Loading states smooth a reasonable wait, they do not justify serious slowness. Honestly about choosing the means: a spinner suits short waits, progress suits predictable ones, a skeleton (971) suits content screens; a wrongly chosen means hinders rather than helps — we choose by situation. Honestly about the effect: it reduces the 'frozen' feeling and the irritation of waiting (an important part of UX), but it is not a conversion guarantee. Honestly about access: the product and an understanding of what loads and how long are needed. An important boundary: this is loading perception; real speed is optimization (not included); skeletons — 971; errors — 968; empty states — 969. Picture this: instead of 'is the screen frozen?' — a clear, calm wait. The base price starts from 25,000 ₽ (depends on the number of scenarios).

• During loading the screen looks frozen or broken.
• Unclear whether the process is running and how long to wait.
• Content 'jumps' when appearing after loading.
• A long load without feedback — users leave.

• Loading-state design (indicators, progress, skeletons, transitions)
• Choosing an appropriate means by situation (spinner/progress/skeleton)
• Smooth content reveal without 'jumps'
• Messages on a long load
• Honest boundaries (perceived speed, not real; not a replacement for optimization)
• A link with skeletons (971), errors (968), empty (969)
• Accounting for the slowness-masking limit
• Handover and review with you

• The wait feels shorter and clearer
• The interface does not look frozen during loading
• Content appears smoothly, without 'jumps'
• Honest boundaries (we improve perception; real speed is optimization)

• We examine what loads and how long in the product (with you)
• We choose appropriate states for each scenario
• We work through smoothness, honestly set boundaries with you

• Will loading states speed up my product?

  No, honestly, and this is the main point: they improve PERCEIVED speed (the wait feels nicer and clearer), but do NOT speed up loading by a single millisecond. If the backend, requests or images are really slow — that is fixed by performance optimization (a separate engineering task). Promising to 'speed up the product' via loaders would be dishonest — we make the wait more comfortable, not actually shorter.

• Will a nice loader hide any slowness?

  Only up to a limit, honestly. A good loading state smooths a reasonable wait, but if the wait is really long (seconds and seconds), no indicator will save it — the user will still get tired and may leave. Loading states do not justify serious slowness; for that, real optimization is needed, not masking. We honestly warn about this.

• Is a spinner everywhere fine?

  Not always, honestly: the means should be chosen by situation. A spinner suits short waits, a progress bar suits predictable processes, a skeleton (971) is often better for content screens. A wrongly chosen means hinders rather than helps (e.g. a spinner for every little thing is annoying). We choose by scenario rather than put one indicator everywhere.