R2 — Design every multi-step tool for the goal gradient: visible progress + low interaction cost + start-state non-empty when possible

Rule: Design every multi-step tool so the user can see how far they've come: visible step counter / progress bar; low per-step interaction cost; non-empty starting state when honestly possible (pre-fill common defaults, the way the Kivetz coffee card pre-filled 2 of 12 stamps).

Why: Kivetz et al. 2006 (Kivetz, Urminsky & Zheng (2006), Journal of Marketing Research — goal-gradient in consumer contexts: cafe loyalty stamps completed faster as customers neared reward; online raters persist longer near reward) — completion drive accelerates as users approach the end of a structured task. The pre-filled card was completed faster than the empty card with the same effective steps. NN/g engagement model (Nielsen Norman Group — engagement modelled as expected utility = perceived value minus interaction cost; abandonment can happen within seconds when perceived value drops) — the perceived-value side of the goal gradient is most visible when progress is shown.

How to apply:

• Every tool with more than 2 steps gets a visible progress indicator.
• "Step 3 of 5" beats "Continue".
• Honest pre-fills (e.g., "your industry: __") are better than blank fields.
• Pair with the Ovsiankina-supported save-and-resume pattern (Ovsiankina effect — defensible cousin of Zeigarnik: general tendency to RESUME interrupted tasks, confirmed by the 2025 Zeigarnik meta-analysis even as the memory claim failed) for tools that can't be completed in one sitting.