The Pros and Cons of Functional Animation in UX/UI Design
As a UX/UI design professional, you understand that pulling off effective designs often comes down to the details. One such detail that’s swiftly gaining significance in user experience and user interface design is functional animation.
Functional animation is an integral part of digital storytelling. It helps convey the logic of app or website functionality, make interactions intuitive and enjoyable, indicate system status, or provide feedback on user actions. This article will explore the pros and cons of utilizing functional animation in UX/UI design.
Advantages of Functional Animation
1. Improved User Interaction: When applied thoughtfully, animation helps create a holistic digital journey that communicates brand tone. For instance, using button hover animations on a website can show users which elements are interactive and make navigation more immersive and enjoyable.
2. System Status Indication: Animation can be used for effective visual hints about system operations. Loading animations, like the spinning wheel on a webpage, assure users that the background process is ongoing, reducing their perceived waiting time. Facebook’s “shimmer” effect is a commendable example; it communicates that the content is loading without causing abrupt interruptions.
3. Guided Transitions: Functional animations help make in-app transitions appear smooth and cohesive. Designers can use animations to guide users between different content sections or navigation levels. Onboarding tours, full-page transitions, and foldout menus are excellent examples of how animation can enhance UX.
Drawbacks of Functional Animation
1. Perception of Unprofessionalism: Too much or poorly executed animation can be off-putting and give users an impression of unprofessionalism, resulting in negative user experience. Slack’s interface is a cautionary tale; their excess use of quirky, playful animations was criticized as distracting and inappropriate for a workspace tool.
2. Slows Down Interaction: Animation can take up crucial seconds, increasing interaction costs, especially if the user’s goal is rapid task completion. LinkedIn’s notorious “endorsement” animations took just a second longer but led to substantial user annoyance since they seemed to be slowing down the interaction unnecessarily.
3. Potential Accessibility Issues: Designers often overlook the fact that certain users, like those with vestibular disorders, may experience dizziness or discomfort from motion and transitions. UI/UX design should prioritize accessibility, and carelessly implemented animations can pose barriers to such inclusive design.
In conclusion, functional animations are powerful tools to enhance UX/UI design when applied sparingly and thoughtfully. They can improve user engagement, offer system status insight, and smoothen transitions. However, they can also detract from the user experience if they come across as unprofessional, increase interaction time, or impede accessibility. The key lies in achieving a harmony between your functional animations and overall design goals, remembering that they exist to supplement your user experience, not override it.