An app may be beneficial to the user, but without a great UX and UI design, the user may dismiss it. So, how do we attract users to use our applications? How can we make our app stand out from the crowd? One method would be to include micro-animations and micro-interactions. There is a subtle distinction between micro-interactions and micro-animations. Micro-interactions begin with a trigger and progress to a set of instructions represented visually through animations. The visual output of the micro-interaction is the animation.
These micro-animations are individual product moments designed to accomplish a single task while improving the natural product flow. Micro-animations include things like swiping up to refresh data, liking content and changing settings. They can also include simple user interface animations, such as how a menu slides in when tapped or a card glides off the screen when swiped.
Micro-interactions
The following are some of the primary benefits of incorporating micro-interactions into a product:
- Provide feedback on the outcome of an action,
- Complete a small task,
- Increase the feeling of direct manipulation,
- Assist users in seeing the outcome of their actions, and
- Avoiding user errors.
Examples of micro-interactions
Facebook’s Like button
This is a well-known example of micro-interaction. Hold the Like button on the app or hover your mouse over it if you are on a desktop to see all the reactions, then tap on the one you want to post.
The hamburger menu
Users associate this icon with showing or hiding a menu.
Pull-to-refresh
The pull-to-refresh pattern allows a user to use touch to pull down a list of data in order to retrieve more data.
Volume control
Micro-interactions can help a designer make even the most basic tasks, such as volume control, more enjoyable.
Auto-complete
You may have heard of Autocomplete. This is where your search engine may try to assist you with what you are trying to type. Micro-interactions, according to Dan Saffer, author of Micro-interactions, states that designing with details has four key components:
1. Triggers
Manual triggers
These occur when the user interacts with the system, for example, by sliding to unlock the phone.
System triggers
These occur when the system meets a condition automatically, like receiving a notification on your mobile phone.
2. Rules
Rules instruct the app on what to do after a trigger event occurs. They control how a micro-interaction is handled in
the app.
3. Feedback
This component notifies the user of the trigger’s response. Two factors influence feedback:
- What information does the user require?
- How often does it have to happen?
4. Modes and Loops
Modes and loops are the micro-interaction meta-rules. This means that when there is a demand, modes are used,
whereas loops determine how long the micro-interaction must continue and whether it needs to be repeated.
Click the link below to read more about micro-interactions:
Microinteractions: Designing with Details by Dan Saffer
Micro-animations
Animation has been around for a long time. However, as browsers and mobile processors improve, spending some time on animations in your interfaces is becoming increasingly important. They can improve interaction and clarify interfaces.
Simple user interfaces
Because the user can see something directly happening when using micro-animations, the user gets a sense of direct manipulation.
Context and change
It is challenging for a developer to fit all the information on a small screen. Therefore, some elements are sometimes hidden. Micro-animations can assist users in navigating and viewing all the information on a screen.
User concentration
A user can quickly become distracted by moving objects on the screen. As a result, animating a button will prompt the user to click it to start an action on the page. Using too much animation flattens the hierarchy and weakens the message that you may want to convey to the user.
Rewards
Micro-animations are very useful for rewarding the user after completing an action, such as submitting a form. It is critical to remember to use small animations rather than creating a large cartoon.
Final thoughts
Although micro-interactions may appear as minor details, they can mean the difference between a merely functional app and one that delights and feels intuitive to users. Even the most incredible projects rely on the success of their most minor components.
Micro-animations improve and enrich the user interface. Using micro-animations only aids the designer in making an interface more user-friendly. Micro-animations assist the user by providing visual feedback and displaying changes more clearly. It is possible to explain a lot using micro-animations without a single word.
