Doherty Threshold
Ensure your UI responds in under 400 ms or show instant feedback to keep users immersed.
Definition
The Doherty Threshold states that interactive systems must respond within about 400 milliseconds to keep users in a state of flow.
This limit taps into our brain’s need for immediate feedback, any slower, and users start to lose focus and feel frustrated.
In human-computer interaction, hitting this threshold ensures users perceive the system as fast and reliable, reducing cognitive load and preventing task abandonment.
By delivering responses under this window, you leverage the brain’s tight loop for action and feedback, making every click feel purposeful.
Missing this mark forces users to pause, guess if their action registered, or switch tasks, killing momentum and conversions.
Real world example
Think about Google Search: every time you type, search suggestions appear almost instantly, usually under 200 ms. This lightning-fast feedback loop keeps you typing, exploring related queries, and staying engaged without ever wondering if the system lagged.
Real world example
You need the Doherty Threshold in: 1) Search interfaces, auto-complete and live filtering must return results in under 400 ms to feel snappy. 2) Form validations, inline error messages or success indicators should fire immediately after field input. 3) Navigation menus, hover states or dropdown expansions must appear without perceptible delay. In each of these crowded real estate zones, speed directly impacts user satisfaction, perceived reliability, and task completion rates.
What are the key benefits?
Everything you need to make smarter growth decisions, without the guesswork or wasted time.
Benchmark and optimize any response that blocks user input to under 400 ms.
Use skeleton screens or spinners if a process may exceed 400 ms.
Prioritize network and rendering performance for key interactive elements.
What are the key benefits?
Everything you need to make smarter growth decisions, without the guesswork or wasted time.
Don’t leave users staring at a blank screen for over half a second.
Avoid silent delays where no visual feedback appears immediately.
Don’t batch updates that push interactive feedback beyond the threshold.
Frequently asked questions
Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.
What exactly is the Doherty Threshold?
It’s the 400 ms response time benchmark that keeps users in a seamless interaction loop, any slower and they’ll notice a delay, breaking flow.
Why 400 ms? Isn’t faster always better?
Studies show 400 ms is the tipping point where feedback still feels instantaneous. Faster helps, but users’ brains group anything under 400 ms as “immediate.”
How do I measure if I’m meeting the threshold?
Use real-user monitoring tools or simple browser performance APIs to log response timings on key interactions and flag anything above 400 ms.
What if my process legitimately takes longer?
Don’t leave users hanging. Inject skeleton screens, progress bars, or micro-animations immediately to signal you’re working on it.
Does this apply on mobile and desktop equally?
Yes, mobile networks add variability, so lean even harder on instant feedback patterns to mask latency and preserve flow.
Stop Lag Killing Flow
Your users bounce when responses drag past 400 ms. Run your core interactions through CrackGrowth to pinpoint and eliminate feedback delays now.