How can you design better animations and interactions?

1 Understand the purpose

Before you start animating or interacting with anything, you need to ask yourself: what is the goal of this element? How does it help the user achieve their task, understand the content, or feel the emotion? Different purposes may require different types of animations and interactions. For example, a transition animation can show the relationship between screens, a micro-interaction can provide feedback or confirmation, and a motion graphic can convey a brand identity or a message.

2 Follow the principles

Designing better animations and interactions can be guided by some general principles, such as consistency, simplicity, responsiveness, and accessibility. Consistency means creating a coherent and predictable experience by using the same style, speed, and timing for animations and interactions across the interface. Simplicity means focusing on the essential and meaningful animations and interactions that add value and clarity instead of excessive ones that may distract or annoy the user. Responsiveness means making sure animations and interactions respond to the user's input and device in a timely manner, such as using easing curves to create natural motion. Accessibility involves considering the needs of different users, such as providing alternative ways to access content or functionality, allowing the user to control the speed and frequency of animations and interactions, and using contrast and color to enhance visibility and readability.

3 Use the tools

Designing better animations and interactions can be made easier with the help of available tools and resources. Sketch is a popular vector-based design tool that allows you to create wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, and it also has plugins and integrations that can enable you to add animations and interactions to your designs, such as Anima, Principle, and Lottie. Figma is a cloud-based design tool that lets you collaborate with your team and stakeholders in real time, as well as features and plugins that can help you create animations and interactions, such as Smart Animate, After Effects, and Framer. Adobe XD is another design tool that integrates with other Adobe products and offers a seamless workflow from design to prototype to share. It also has tools and plugins that can help you create animations and interactions, such as Auto-Animate, XD to Flutter, and ProtoPie.

4 Test and iterate

The final step to design better animations and interactions is to test them with real users and collect feedback. This will enable you to assess the effectiveness, usability, and appeal of your animations and interactions, as well as spot any issues or opportunities for improvement. You can use various methods and tools to test your animations and interactions, such as user testing with UserTesting, Lookback, or Zoom; analytics with Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Hotjar; or A/B testing with Optimizely, VWO, or Firebase. By doing so, you'll be able to track and visualize user behavior, engagement, and satisfaction.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?