Graceful degradation refers to the design philosophy that encourages designing systems and products that can continue to function even with the failure of certain components.
Though more so a technological term, I first came across this term through a Tumblr post that discussed a Muji flashlight that implemented this concept well. Supporting two AA batteries and two AAA batteries, the brightness of the flashlight gradually dims the less batteries there are — this is purely an example of graceful degradation too.
Graceful degradation refers to the concept of designing computer and network systems that can continue to function even if certain components fail. It involves automatically adapting to different circumstances in order to maintain service. In user experience design, it refers to solutions that can adapt to the capabilities of the devices being used, ensuring that the experience can still be accessed and understood even if certain features or functions are unavailable.
Footnotes
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AI-generated definition derived from scientific journals ↩