Which principle explains what a user can expect will happen next during their interaction with a product?

The principle that explains what a user can expect will happen next during their interaction with a product is predictability. Predictability in user experience design refers to the expectation that users can anticipate the outcome of their actions based on their prior experiences and the design elements of the product itself. When a design is predictable, it allows users to develop mental models that guide their behavior and expectations as they navigate through a product. This results in a more intuitive and seamless experience, as users feel more comfortable interacting with elements they can confidently understand and anticipate.

In contrast, perceivability refers to how easily users can see and understand the elements of a design. Forgiveness relates to how well a design allows users to recover from errors. Affordances are the cues in a design that suggest its possible uses, but they may not necessarily indicate what will happen next in a sequence of interactions. Predictability ties all these aspects together by ensuring that users can navigate through their tasks without confusion about the results of their actions.