eksitava

Eksitava is a neologism used in Finnish-language discussions of navigation, usability, and narrative design to describe stimuli, system features, or environmental cues that encourage or cause a person to become lost, take a wrong path, or make a suboptimal decision within a process. The term literally evokes the idea of getting lost and is formed from the Finnish verb eksyä, meaning to get lost, with the suffix -tava, which denotes an agentive or causative property.

Etymology and scope: The word emerged in contemporary discussions of wayfinding and human-computer interaction and has since appeared in UX design literature, urban planning studies, and game design analysis. It is used as a descriptive label rather than a prescriptive rule, helping to categorize elements that reduce navigational clarity.

Examples and usage: In digital interfaces, eksitava features may include inconsistent menu labeling, non-orthogonal navigation paths, or ambiguous call-to-action prompts that steer users away from their intended goal. In physical spaces, dense signage, competing focal points, or labyrinthine layouts can exhibit eksitava properties. Designers counterbalance eksitava with clearer information scent, consistent affordances, and predictable feedback.

Critique and discussion: Critics argue that eksitava is a broad, context-dependent concept that overlaps with established ideas like cognitive load, information architecture, and usability heuristics. Some emphasize cultural expectations influencing what constitutes getting lost.

See also: wayfinding, navigation, cognitive load, information scent, usability, human-centered design.