Purposeful animations (emilkowal.ski)

Article summary

The article discusses the importance of purposeful animations in user interface design, highlighting that animations should have a clear purpose and be used judiciously to enhance the user experience. It also emphasizes the need to consider the frequency of use and perception of speed when designing animations. The author provides examples of effective and ineffective animations, and notes that the goal is to build great user interfaces that users will happily use daily. The article also touches on the idea that sometimes the best animation is no animation at all.

Main themes

• Purposeful animations
• User interface design
• Frequency of use
• Perception of speed
• Delight vs functionality
• Animation best practices

What commenters say

• Some commenters believe that delight is overblown and that most users do not care about fancy animations, while others argue that meaningful and unintrusive animations can have a significant effect on users.
• The use of animations should be determined by the specific use case and the needs of the user, rather than by a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Animations can be seen as a form of polish that can make an interface feel more robust and reliable, but only if the underlying functionality is solid.
• Others argue that animations can be a distraction and that the focus should be on making the interface functional and glitch-free before adding polish.
• There is disagreement about what constitutes an animation, with some considering even subtle changes in state to be a form of animation, while others reserve the term for more complex and noticeable effects.
• Some commenters suggest that the frequency of use and individual user preferences should be taken into account when designing animations, rather than relying on general principles or guidelines.
• The use of animations can have a significant impact on the user experience, and designers should carefully consider when and how to use them to achieve the desired effect.