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I'm designing a 5-step wizard where the user sees the steps during the wizard, so he knows where he is the whole time.

However, in the first step I prompt the user with a question and if he answers "yes", I'd like to add a 6th step.

Is it considered a bad practice? I'd appreciate if anyone can send an example where this is being done.

Thanks

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Yea, it's kind of bad

As a general rule, what makes a wizard a powerful pattern is the way it simplifies the task for the user by breaking it down into identifiable recognizable steps, by appending an extra step the user might feel deceived or confused.

Given that not enough information about your context is provided, you want to probably do your best to maintain a clearly labeled static number of steps, any conditional content can be appended within the same step that enabled it.

You have no other option?

If you can't maintain a fixed number then you are dealing with a risk, typically when you create a new ui pattern, users try it, learn it, then they get used to it, however when you modify an existing one, you are contradicting the users expectations with something they are already used to.

So assuming you must follow this path, you can probably test it on your users then you will know the definite answer.

Best Practices

https://uxplanet.org/wizard-design-pattern-8c86e14f2a38

This is a great article that highlights how to implement the Wizard pattern effectively.

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  • I understand. I was kinda hoping that because the user clicked yes, then it's ok and not weird to add another step. For instance: "Would you like to hear more about XYZ?" - yes? Then I add XYZ as another step.
    – talbenmoshe
    Oct 10, 2018 at 7:59
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    must it be an extra step? you can use it within the same one, and if you need a dedicated view you could use a modal or something
    – UX Labs
    Oct 10, 2018 at 8:06
  • Its kind of a unique use case. The first 5 steps are for intent "1" and the extra step it intent 2. I don't want to distract the user too much from intent 1 so I ask him if he's interested in intent 2, and if he is, I let him finish intent 1 and then add the extra step for intent 2. Starting to think that maybe a wizard is not the best thing here, but if not, then what is?
    – talbenmoshe
    Oct 10, 2018 at 13:02
  • if we maintain an abstract conversation i'm afraid i cannot look at it from your perspective, anyway if well implemented there shouldn't be any distraction, if you are cooking and found there is a missing ingredient, you look for it, find it and proceed cooking. you can find many flight reservation platforms that have a checkout wizard at some point it asks "do you want to reserve a seat", a modal shows, you reserve the seat then takes you back to proceed from where you were at before, it's nothing odd.
    – UX Labs
    Oct 10, 2018 at 13:11
  • you can refer to uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2010/02/… the HTA model explains how we perceive tasks very well
    – UX Labs
    Oct 10, 2018 at 13:12

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