Feedback

Most communicative acts involve a simultaneous flow of information in both directions. Cybernetic's core concept of feedback addresses the reciprocal nature of communication. Feedback is centrally important in computer-mediated contexts, providing the user with guidance and reassurance. Feedback indicates to the user that

• the program is responding to an action,
• the action has had a desired or undesired result,
• the program is initiating an action,
• or that the user must perform an action.

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See also Adam Baker, 'Pliant response for websites' for more about feedback that indicates the effect of a control