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{{See also|User error}}
Modes are often frowned upon in interface design because they are likely to produce ''mode errors'' when the user [[Short-term memory|forgets]] what state the interface is in, performs an action that is appropriate to a different mode, and gets an unexpected and undesired response.<ref>[http://www.usabilityfirst.com/glossary/mode-error/ Glossary: mode error]</ref><ref name="glossary">[http://www.usabilityfirst.com/glossary/modal Usability Glossary: modal]</ref> A mode error can be quite startling and disorienting as the user copes with the sudden violation of his or her [[user expectations]].
Problems occur if a change in the system state happens unnoticed (initiated by the system, or by another person, such as the user who was previously using the machine), or if after some time the user forgets about the state change. Another typical problem is a sudden change of state that interrupts a user's activity, such as [[focus stealing]]. In such a situation it can easily happen that the user does some operations with the old state in mind, while the brain has not yet fully processed the signals indicating the state change.
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