Status Bar

By Glen Gonzalez • June 21, 2019 • Communication Technology

Are we there yet?

Wouldn’t it be great if more things in life came with a status bar? I’m sure my parents would have loved to have one during our long-distance road trips. As we nagged from the backseat, my dad could have pointed to the windshield where a little bar slowly filled in, indicating our progress. (Of course, Waze and Google Maps serve that function these days.)

Are we there yet?

They’d also be great at cocktail parties. Let’s say you get stuck in a pointless, one-sided conversation. As the other person drones on, a little bar floats above him, slowly filling in, letting you know how much longer you’ll have to wait before you can politely excuse yourself to freshen your drink.

Are we there yet?

Nonprofits and elementary schools have been using status bars since before they became commonplace on computers, smartphones and websites. They were the big thermometers that slowly inched up with every donation collected, every pledge made. These signs were a brilliant way to recognize achievements while reminding everyone just how much farther they had to go.

Are we there yet?

The question of just how much farther one has to go nags us all. At work, maybe we watch the clock ticking down to the end of a shift. Maybe we’re wondering how much more we have to do to bump up a performance rating from a 3 to a perfect 4. Or maybe we want to know how close we are to meeting a sales number, revenue goal or some other quota. A status bar could be the answer.

Are we there yet?

Status bars remind us to complete our LinkedIn profiles. They tell us not to wildly punch keys on our keyboards as our computers download files or open applications. They tell us not to stop, and give us a reachable goal. They nudge without nagging. They address the anxiety that comes from not knowing whether we’re making any progress. Imagine going to work every day and seeing an array of status bars that indicate your progress on personal goals and the organization’s progress on business goals. These cunning little graphics can help keep us all focused, patient and motivated by answering a simple, notorious question …