Progressive disclosure
Showing only necessary information first, revealing more details when requested.
Progressive disclosure is a design principle that makes complex interfaces easier to use. Instead of showing everything at once, it reveals information in stages. This means users only see what they need for their current task, which helps prevent them from feeling overwhelmed.
For example, imagine a settings menu. Instead of listing every single option, a progressive disclosure design might show a few main categories. When you click on a category, like 'Display,' then more specific options related to display settings appear. This way, you only deal with the settings relevant to your immediate goal.
Progressive disclosure is a user interface design pattern that reduces cognitive load by revealing information incrementally. It hides complex or less frequently used options until they are explicitly requested by the user, typically through actions like expanding a section or clicking a 'more details' button. This approach prioritizes clarity and task efficiency by presenting only the essential elements for the current context.
The core mechanism involves layering information, starting with a simplified view and allowing users to access deeper levels of detail on demand. This contrasts with flat designs that expose all options simultaneously, which can lead to interface clutter and user confusion, especially in applications with extensive functionality.
Frontier AI labs are increasingly focused on making complex AI capabilities accessible and manageable for users. By progressively disclosing advanced features like custom skills, these companies aim to simplify user interaction and allow for tailored AI experiences without overwhelming users with too many options upfront. This approach is crucial for the adoption of more sophisticated AI agents and tools.
- Rethinking skills and prompts for GPT-6 AstraOpenAI · OpenAI Developers Blog ·
- Using skills to accelerate OSS maintenanceOpenAI · OpenAI Developers Blog ·
- Enable on-demand expertise with Agent Skills in Genkit GoGoogle · Google Developers Blog ·
- What are skills?Anthropic · Claude Help Center ·
- How to create custom skillsAnthropic · Claude Help Center ·
- Anthropic Claude
- Anthropic Claude's new Skills feature allows users to customize the AI for specific tasks, and the company provides guides on how to create these custom skills by recording screen and voice.
- Google Gemini
- Google Gemini's Genkit Go framework incorporates Agent Skills, enabling developers to build AI agents that can access on-demand expertise.
- OpenAI ChatGPT
- OpenAI is guiding developers to simplify prompts for advanced models like GPT-6 Astra, suggesting progressive disclosure of information to manage enhanced capabilities, and using custom skills to automate development tasks.
- Chunking
- Chunking involves breaking down large amounts of information into smal
- Progressive Enhancement
- Progressive enhancement is a web design strategy that s
- Lazy Loading
- Lazy loading is a technique that defers the loading of non-critica
The concept of progressive disclosure originated in the field of user interface and user experience design, aiming to simplify complex systems. It's a widely adopted principle in software development.
In Claude, try interacting with the AI without mentioning any specific skills. Then, ask it to perform a task that might require a skill, like summarizing a document you provide. Observe how the AI might prompt you for more information or how you can explicitly ask it to use a skill you've set up, revealing that capability only when relevant.
The Playbook: reusable how-tos, prompts, configs and tips pulled out of the news.
- HeuristicUse progressive disclosure for complex skills with multiple workflowsFor skills with many workflows, use a minimal root document that links to supporting details. · 20 min
- PromptRole-play a student struggling with math for AI tutor simulationSimulate a student's math struggles and uncertainty for AI tutor evaluation. · 5 min
- TemplateReusable workflow templates for healthcare teamsTeams can create and share templates for common workflows like documentation or prior authorizations. · 15 min
- TemplateTemplate for building an AI tool tailored to your workA structured approach to defining and building a custom AI tool for specific business needs. · 15 min
- TemplateEvals CSV prompt list for agent skillsA CSV file template for listing prompts used in evaluating agent skills. · 20 min
Questions people ask
- Why is progressive disclosure important for AI?
- It makes powerful AI features more accessible by hiding complexity until the user needs it, preventing overwhelm and improving usability.
- How does progressive disclosure differ from just hiding features?
- Progressive disclosure is about revealing features in a logical, task-oriented sequence, not just hiding them indefinitely. It guides the user through complexity.
First seen on Subvolts Sep 3, 2026. Updated Sep 19, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.