In-page alerts

Use in-page alerts to attract the user's attention. Alerts are often displayed following a user interaction or system event. The level of attention is dependent on the importance of the alert.

Do:

• use clear, concise easy to understand language, to minimise cognitive load
• display the alerts in context and at an appropriate time
• use the appropriate alert for the task at hand.

Do not:

• overuse alerts as this will erode their effectiveness
• use for global alerts which are required on all pages.

In-page alert types

In-page alerts come in standard and compact. The standard variant can be used to deliver an alert for a section or overall context. The compact variant can be used for in-line alerts or where the alert needs to be isolated, such as in forms where it relates to just one field.

In-page alert are styled according to their purpose:

Information alert

Designed to be less intrusive or interruptive than other levels of alert:

• use for information the user should know, but is not critical
• use for tips or information which the user can benefit from
• use for messages which don't require too much attention or action
• don't use in response to a user action.

Success alert

• use to inform the user that an action was performed successfully (e.g. submitting a form or registering an account).

Warning alert

• use to warn the user of a possible negative outcome (e.g. password expiry)
• provide sufficient information to avoid the problem
• use for an action that is out of the ordinary or might not be desired.

Critical alert

• use where a system event has failed
• use when the user has made an error
• use where the user is blocked until the issue is resolved, or the issue needs resolving immediately
• provide sufficient information on the issue and resolution to fix the issue
• don't use for validation or validation summary.

How this component works

The family of alerts is designed with a consistent layout to aid comprehension of what they are and how they work.

They are designed to look 'not always present', to draw the user's attention.

The type and urgency of the alert is communicated through colour and the icon used.

The icons used are industry standard, with the exception of the warning and critical icons which are somewhat interchangeable. Both the warning and critical icons are perceived as more important to aid the user's comprehension.

The alerts are not dismissible.