We cannot expect users to focus on our website or application only. Users multitask, switch between tabs and windows, get distracted, and make mistakes. Not only should the system help users fix errors quickly but also prevent them from happening. Timely notifications, input constraints, smart defaults, and data validation help a system be more flexible and reduce the burden on users.

You can do this through:

• Suggestions: For example, you can offer users suggestions when they're typing in the search field. It reduces the interaction costs and prevents users from making typos and encountering the No Results page.
• Notifications: For example, instead of informing users of an error after they click the Submit button, let them know the Caps Lock is on while they are entering the password.
• Smart defaults: Defaults prevent typos and help users finish a task faster. For example, by default, Google calendar notifies users 10 minutes before an event and this is the most common choice among users.
• Forgiving formatting: Inputs asking users to enter numeric information generally require a specific format. Reduce cognitive load by letting users type how they like and adjust data automatically without forcing them to use a particular format.^[1]