What is the characteristic of a design that allows a user to correct their mistakes without penalty?

The characteristic of design that allows a user to correct their mistakes without penalty is known as forgiveness. This principle focuses on creating a user experience that accommodates errors and provides users with the opportunity to undo actions or recover from mistakes smoothly. Forgiveness is essential in user-centered design, as it helps to reduce user frustration and anxiety around making errors. When forgiving design is applied, it gives users the confidence to explore and interact with a system, knowing that they can easily rectify any missteps without facing negative consequences.

In contrast, the other concepts mentioned do not directly address the ability to correct mistakes. Affordances relate to the properties of an object that suggest how it should be used, while constraints are limitations that guide users towards desired actions. Predictability involves how well users can anticipate the behavior and outcomes of their interactions, which is important but does not specifically address the correction of mistakes. Thus, forgiveness is key to enhancing user experience by fostering an environment where users feel safe to experiment and learn without fearing penalties for their actions.