A toggle is a simple user interface element that lets people manage the state of content or views. Toggles are a good choice when people need to update settings or preferences. They are also effective when they are used to turn features on or off. Toggles should always be used to control the state of something, not to select from a list.
When designing toggle buttons, designers should focus on ensuring that they have clear, direct labels and the right amount of visual feedback to communicate what the toggle does. They should also use standard interface icons and update their appearance based on the toggle’s current state. This helps users understand what they are doing and how their actions will affect the interface. It also helps ensure that toggles are not confused with other kinds of switches, such as radio buttons or checkboxes.
Another important consideration when using toggles is to avoid putting too much power into the hands of a single toggle. It is tempting to try to solve every problem with a toggle, but this can quickly create a confusing and complex series of controls that are difficult for other teams to debug weeks or months down the road.
The best way to keep this from happening is to limit the number of toggles in your codebase, only using them when they are needed. It is also a good idea to create a process for vetting whether a toggle is the appropriate tool for a given problem, and to prune old toggles as soon as they have run their course.
Feature toggles are a powerful tool for improving product development processes, and can be an essential part of any agile software program. By enabling rapid iteration, testing and learning, toggles can help you deliver better experiences for your users. The Split Feature Data Platform makes it easy to safely deploy feature toggles, controlling who sees what and when. The platform also connects every flag to contextual data, so you can make smart decisions about what to release and when.
Traditionally, many new features go through a lengthy development and testing process before they are ready for a Canary or Champagne Brunch release. This can result in a long lag time between when you know something is working well and when it gets deployed to all your users. By applying the principles of feature toggling to your development workflow, you can accelerate the process of getting new features into production without sacrificing the quality of your product. This allows you to move faster, decrease your MTTR and ultimately deliver a more delightful experience for your customers. By deploying feature toggles with Split, you can test and learn on a large scale, without risking your live product. Schedule a demo to find out how.
