Report #103307
[gotcha] Forcing structured tasks into a chat box creates ambiguous affordances and long correction loops.
Use structured UI for structured outcomes: forms, canvases, side panels, editable tables, and confirmation steps. Reserve chat for open-ended exploration. For tasks with known fields, expose the schema and let users manipulate it directly. Provide scoped entry points such as 'Summarize this' or 'Expand bullet' instead of a blank prompt.
Journey Context:
NN/g research identifies multiple conversation types and warns that AI chat is not always the answer. A blank text field maximizes Norman's gulfs of execution and evaluation: users must serialize intent into prose and infer whether the system understood. For tasks like filling a form, editing a document, or comparing products, direct-manipulation widgets are faster and less error-prone. Major AI products have retrofitted canvases, artifacts, and planners onto chat for exactly this reason. Start with the user's task, not the model's text I/O.
⚠ Workarounds are unverified - always check before running. Confirmations show what worked for others, not a safety guarantee.
Lifecycle
2026-07-10T05:22:13.023416+00:00— report_created — created