Undo & Revert Recovery Pattern

This pattern enables users to reverse unwanted AI actions and restore previous states safely across different interaction types.

🧭 Domain: Undo & Revert ⏱️ Effort: 5-minute fix

Problem

When users can't reverse AI actions or restore previous states, they feel trapped by irreversible decisions. This fear of "no way back" causes hesitation and anxiety, and may lead users to abandon your product entirely rather than risk making mistakes.

Solution

Implement granular undo mechanisms that preserve previous states and allow users to safely reverse AI-driven actions without data loss or workflow disruption.

Implementation Example

Pseudocode: Framework-agnostic code showing the core logic and approach. Adapt the syntax and methods to your specific technology stack.

// Pseudocode:
// Preserve state before AI actions
function preserveState(currentState) {
  const stateSnapshot = {
    timestamp: new Date(),
    data: deepClone(currentState),
    actionType: 'ai_generated',
    id: generateUniqueId()
  };
  stateHistory.push(stateSnapshot);
}

function undoLastAction() {
  if (stateHistory.length > 0) {
    const previousState = stateHistory.pop();
    restoreState(previousState.data);
    showUndoConfirmation("Reverted to previous state");
  }
}

function showUndoOption(timeWindow = 30000) {
  displayUndoButton();
  setTimeout(() => hideUndoButton(), timeWindow);
}

🧠 What this does: Lets users safely experiment with AI features knowing they can always return to a previous state if the results aren't what they expected.

Try this:

•Add "Undo" buttons that appear immediately after AI actions complete

•Implement "Restore previous version" for generated content or recommendations

•Create checkpoints before major AI operations (like bulk changes or decisions)

•Show preview of what will be undone before user confirms the revert

•Enable step-by-step undo for multi-stage AI processes

Testing Checklist

□Undo functionality works within appropriate time windows (30 seconds to 24 hours based on action impact)
□Previous state is completely restored without data corruption or partial reversals
□Undo actions themselves can be undone (redo functionality works)
□Clear feedback shows what was undone and confirms the restoration
□Undo works across different devices and browser sessions where appropriate