Employing dialogue to resolve key uncertainties: If the system is uncertain about the user's intent, the system should ask the user after having considered the cost of interrupting the user. While ambiguities can be resolved via dialogue, this principle warns against always asking the user: Every interaction bears a cost (e.g., time and effort) that should be factored in when deciding whether and when to engage in dialogue.

The paradoxical effect of hyperarticulation is that despite trying to improve understanding, it can make speech recognition worse.

Users are 'architects' of their environments, as Kirsh put it. For example, users may change the settings to turn on or off a function or change the way it behaves. They also choose the applications they use. Such tailoring behaviors are not explained by Norman's intention–action–response–interpretation–evaluation cycle.