Improving Mobile App Design with Microinteractions

Microinteractions in any app design help users visualize and make a UI expressive and easy to use.

Microinteractions are the most subtle yet crucial part of all UI interaction in app design. Users may take these small actions for granted, but microinteractions in mobile UI design are what make any app usable and intuitive. These not only dictate the visual appeal of an app but also lend the element of illusion in mobile UI interactions.

Dissection of a Microinteraction

It’s a given rule that to design an engaging app, it’s crucial to integrate the latest design trends popular with the users. But to design microinteractions, app designers must be well versed with the anatomy of the former.

Microinteractions usually have these four parts:

1. Triggers These triggers could be a floating or an attractive icon that provokes the user to tap, swipe, click or press and hold to trigger the micro-interaction.

2. Rules that determine what happens with a trigger.

3. Feedback Whatever the user feels, hears, or sees during the execution of micro-interactions falls under the term feedback. Feedback could be a small animation, a pop-up, or something that easily catches the user’s attention.

4. Loops and Modes that determine the meta-rules, the time-frame of how long an in-app action will last and informs users when they need to switch.

How Microinteractions improve your ux design?

Microinteractions contain a major number of digital elements under its umbrella but not every element is part of a microinteraction.

Those static elements which are perennially present on the screen are not microinteractions. Why? Because they do not have a distinct trigger. On top of that, even the flows composed of multiple actions are not microinteractions.

The below table will give a better picture of what can and cannot be considered as Microinteractions and why.

The system should always keep users informed about what is happening, through the appropriate feedback and within a reasonable time.

First of all, micro-interactions are often used to demonstrate the system status. This is where all users, including you, will expect to get a response immediately. Meanwhile, your app needs some time to complete an action, keep your users aware of what’s happening.

Nobody likes to wait. Distract your users from ‘loading times’ by showing animation. The processes of loading are just perfect for using animated micro-interactions. Even a short loading animation will add a little delight or at least some fun during the dead time.

Microinteractions are very helpful during the onboarding phase. Highlighting the most important and outstanding controls and features, you will help users get a better insight into the new system. Guide and educate users after the launch, reveal the most important information and get rewarded afterward.

Why are microinteractions essential for digital product design?

• they improve the user experience: from navigation to adding profile information, micro-interactions help improve, smooth out, and make the process as painless as possible;
• they provide instant feedback on user actions and/or system status;
• they focus the user’s attention to where it’s most important;
• they add to the overall human feel of the app or website.

Making an artificial, robotic-like interaction as human as possible is the best you can do for your product’s user.

Cheers!