Can we talk about swiping to get to features?
Mobile Devices & Side Swiping
Side swiping is not new, and while I’ve always been mildly annoyed with it, it’s starting to grow thanks to the new ‘Stories’ features that all social media apps have now.
Swiping to get between features
My biggest frustration is currently with Instagram and their new albums feature. I think the idea is needed and I appreciate not having to see just a straight line of posts from one person when they go to the zoo (because that’s what we always do at the zoo, right?).
If you swipe just one too many times, you’re taken over to Direct Messages, and now I have to hit the back button to get back to the feed.This could be avoided if there was no swipe gesture.
Can someone help me understand why it’s necessary when there’s an icon in the top right for it?
Then there’s the scrolling that turns into an accidental swipe
Facebook, I’m looking at you.
I’m scrolling down my newsfeed, my thumb does an arc like most people and then suddenly I’ve arced just too much and …
ugh there’s that camera that nobody uses.
There happens a lot in other scrolling based apps that also swipe for other features.
I’m not against swiping in general
Yes — let’s swipe between pictures in an album!
Yes — let’s swipe down to refresh content!
Yes probably to other things!
But can we just stop swiping between features when the bottom bar and other places take care of it?
Ashley Crutcher is a UX Designer at InterVarsity located in Madison, WI. She tweets at @ashleyspixels and enjoys cuddling with her cat, crocheting/knitting, working out, and thinking too much about everything.
