HubSpot's schedule email confirmation modal

Just about every SaaS product out there promises to improve your workflow and help you achieve your business goals faster. Which makes perfect sense—nobody's looking for a tool that slows them down.

But just because they want to move quickly doesn't mean SaaS users don't still need to come to a full stop and look both ways before crossing the street (or, you know, sending an important email to your entire subscriber list).

For products that have the potential to impact a large number of people—whether that's subscribers, users, or colleagues—sometimes a little well-timed friction can be a good thing.

That's why HubSpot doesn't let users send emails with a single click. Instead, they use a bold modal window that forces the user to stop and confirm that yes, they really do want to send that email to thousands of people at 8:00 AM EST.

Why this is really good UX

• The ability to make an important mistake in just a few clicks can translate to anxiety—and the last thing you want is for your product to make your users anxious. HubSpot adds a moment of friction into the process. This gives users a sense of control over a high-impact action.
  ‍
• This modal window also does a good job of providing positive feedback by confirming that yes, clicking the orange "Schedule email" button will really accomplish the user's goal. Reiterating the date and time of the send also reassures users that they've input the correct details. HubSpot could add even more clarity by allowing confirming which recipient list the email will be sent to.
  ‍
• HubSpot also reassures users that the action they're about to take is not irreversible, further reducing anxiety for the sender.
  ‍
• Finally, we love that the graphic breaks the frame of the rectangular modal. The design makes the modal stand out all the more.