Optional steps in wizards

Question

I have a wizard that has optional steps in it. These steps are after all the mandatory steps. The optional steps are not advanced options.

1. Is this a good idea at all?
2. How does one order the following buttons: Cancel, Done, Go to optional step.

Answer 1

If there's not too much optional steps, you could force your user to go through it with a "Skip this step" or "I'll do it later" link.

Users will still be informed about what options are about but could skip it quickly.

Answer 2

1. I have seen this type of wizard, in multiple places. For example the one that comes first to mind is Winamp from Nullsoft. You can expose the optional steps but also give the users the option of finalization.

2. Try to remain consistent with the rest of your app. What I mean about this is if you have all your other cancel buttons on the left keep it on the left and have them in the this order:

Cancel < Prev Optional > Done/Finish

Or if you are using the cancel on the Right go this way:

                       < Prev    Optional >     Done/Finish      Cancel

If you want my personal opinion I would go with the second option where the order is (prev, optional, cancel). That's how most of the software vendors do it.