The Power of Progressive Disclosure in SaaS User Experience Design

Designers frequently encounter a common UX dilemma: Users expect powerful tools with a wide range of features to meet their diverse needs, yet they also demand simplicity and ease of use!

Balancing these expectations is especially challenging in SaaS products, where rich functionality is essential but can lead to a cluttered interface. When users are confronted with too many options at once, it can result in cognitive overload—slowing them down, causing confusion, and ultimately leading to frustration or drop-off.

This is where Progressive Disclosure becomes a powerful design technique. Instead of exposing all features and options upfront, it shows only the most essential information at first, and reveals more advanced details as users engage deeper. This allows new users to get started without confusion, while still giving experienced users access to the depth they need.

In this blog, we’ll explore progressive disclosure definition​, why it matters, the key UI patterns it involves, and how it can be effectively applied in SaaS design.

What is Progressive Disclosure?

Progressive disclosure is a UX design technique that reduces cognitive load by gradually revealing information as users move through an interface. 

Introduced in 1995 by Jakob Nielsen, co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group, this approach was designed to help users avoid errors in complex systems. By presenting content step-by-step, progressive disclosure UX allows users to focus on one task at a time, making complicated processes feel more manageable and less overwhelming.

Types of Progressive Disclosure:

• Step-by-Step (Staged) Disclosure: Breaks down complex tasks into a sequence of manageable steps, showing only one part of the process at a time. Example: A multi-step onboarding UX Design flow where users enter personal details, choose preferences, then review settings on separate screens.
• Conditional Disclosure: Reveals additional fields, options, or actions only when certain criteria are met. Example: Selecting “Add promo code” in a checkout form reveals a text input field.
• Contextual Disclosure: Displays the most relevant information upfront, gradually revealing more as the user engages with the interface. Example: Clicking “More details” on a product card expands to show technical specifications.
• Progressive Enabling: Restricts certain actions or form elements until the user completes a required step. Example: A “Continue” button remains disabled until all required form fields are filled.

Why is Progressive Disclosure Important?

1. Reduce Cognitive Overload

Progressive disclosure prevents users from being overwhelmed by too much information at once. According to Cognitive load theory (Sweller, 1988), the human brain can only process a limited amount of information at a time. By deferring non-essential details and focusing attention on what’s immediately relevant, designers help users make decisions with less mental effort. This is especially important in SaaS applications, where users often face complex workflows or unfamiliar features.

2. Improve Learnability

By revealing functionality gradually, users can explore features in manageable stages. It creates a smoother learning curve for beginners, enabling them to build confidence without being forced to understand every function upfront.

3. Increase Efficiency of Use

For experienced users, progressive disclosure ensures they aren’t slowed down by irrelevant details. By removing clutter and only showing actionable elements when needed, users can locate and complete tasks faster.

4. Minimize Error Rate

By structuring interactions in logical, progressive steps and showing only valid or relevant inputs, users are less likely to make mistakes. This supports Nielsen’s usability heuristics principle of “preventing errors”. Progressive disclosure enforces constraints and guidance, reducing the chance of misconfigurations or incorrect data entry.

Progressive Disclosure UI Patterns & Use Cases in SaaS

In reality, UX Progressive Disclosure is applied in various UI Patterns. In this section, let’s explore 7 common UI Patterns and use cases, along with progressive disclosure examples​ of a Human Resource Management System (HRMS).

1. Accordions

An accordion is a vertically stacked list of expandable headers that show or hide content when clicked. It helps reduce visual clutter and cognitive load by presenting information only when the user needs it.

Example of Accordion: The video recording above shows a “Raise ticket” screen, where employees can report an issue by filling out a form. When selecting a “Support Team” or “Query Type,” additional sub-options remain hidden until the user clicks the dropdown.

Use cases in SaaS:

• Organizing FAQs where users can selectively view answers
• Structuring settings panels with grouped configuration options
• Displaying expandable data rows in dashboards or reports

2. Stepper (Wizard Navigation)

A stepper guides users through a process one step at a time, simplifying complex tasks by dividing them into manageable stages. This helps users stay focused and reduces the risk of errors.

Example of Stepper: The image above displays a “Resignation” screen where employees can submit a resignation request to their manager. A stepper visually guides users through the four key stages of the process—Resignation submit, Manager approval, HR approval, and the final exit interview, making it easy to understand progress and next steps.

Use cases in SaaS:

• User onboarding UX flows with guided setup
• Multi-step forms like account creation or profile completion
• Data import or configuration wizards with sequential actions

3. Tabs

Tabbed interfaces divide content into labeled sections, displaying only one section at a time. This keeps interfaces clean and makes it easy to switch between related content without scrolling.

Example of tabs: In the video recording above, the “Time Off Calendar” and “Holidays” are organized into 2 separate tabs. This allows users to view previous leave requests without being distracted by public holidays, and vice versa—helping them quickly find the information they need based on context.

Use cases in SaaS:

• Switching between account settings (e.g., “Profile,” “Security,” “Billing”)
• Viewing categorized data in analytics dashboards
• Managing different user roles or permissions within a single interface

4. Scrolling

Scrolling allows users to view long or dynamic content in a continuous flow. It reduces the need for multiple clicks and works well for information that’s meant to be consumed in sequence or volume.

Example of Scrolling: The video recording above shows a “Time Off Requests” screen displaying recent requests. As the user scrolls down, older requests are progressively loaded and revealed.

Use cases in SaaS:

• Infinite scrolling for activity feeds or notifications
• Navigating lengthy reports or documents
• Exploring data-heavy tables with real-time updates

5. Menus

Menus consolidate navigation or actions into a compact structure, enabling users to find and access features without cluttering the interface.

Example of Menus: The video recording above shows a side menu that expands when the user hovers over the home symbol, revealing the meaning of each symbol and providing navigation labels for easier access.

Use cases in SaaS:

• Sidebar menus for navigating between modules or tools
• Dropdown menus for user profiles or quick settings
• Contextual menus for row-level actions in data tables (e.g., edit, delete)

6. Tooltip-on-Demand

Tooltip-on-Demand provides contextual help or explanations when users hover over or click specific icons or text. It supports user learning without interrupting the flow of interaction.

Example of Tooltips: The image above shows a “Profile” screen where a tooltip appears when the user hovers over the question mark icon. It explains who can view the user’s personal email and informs them that this information can be hidden.

Use cases in SaaS:

• Explaining technical terms or metrics in dashboards
• Clarifying the purpose of form fields during input
• Offering usage hints for advanced tools or features

7. Modal Dialogs and Popups

Modals and popups are overlays that appear temporarily to display additional options, actions, or alerts. They prevent users from losing context while offering deeper control.

Example of Popup: The video recording above shows a “Timesheet Submission” screen where employees log their work hours. When the user clicks the “Add Tasks” button, a popup appears, allowing them to enter the tasks completed during the week without navigating away from the main screen.

Use cases in SaaS:

• Displaying advanced filter settings for data views
• Confirming destructive actions like deletions
• Configuring export settings or sharing options without leaving the page

Final thoughts

Through this blog, you’ve explored the critical role of progressive disclosure in crafting user-friendly experiences—especially within the complexity of SaaS products. When applied effectively, progressive disclosure in UX Design reduces friction, enhances usability, and helps users focus on what matters most.

If you’re looking for expert guidance on crafting an impactful SaaS product, Lollypop is here to support. As a globally recognized SaaS UX design agency, we specialize in creating intuitive, user-centric designs with trendy SaaS design techniques that drive business growth. 

Reach out to us for a FREE consultation and discover how we can enhance your SaaS user experience.