The Role of Animation in UX
By : Rama Mitkari
Why Do We Need Animations?
With advancements in technology, the
animation industry has come a long way from
creating hand-drawn, frame by frame films to
creating smooth human-digital interaction. It has
made it possible for humans to immerse
themselves entirely into larger than life
experiences.
Various digital platforms, such as apps,
websites, kiosks have become an integral part
of human life, and one cannot even imagine
going a day without them. We are surrounded
by these devices 24*7, and our lifestyle is
profoundly affected by them.
Now, here’s some food for thought; in today’s
world, we are exposed to tons of data floating
around us, all available on our fingertips. Have
you ever wondered why only a few leave their
mark embedded in our minds from all the
content that is being consumed? Is it just the
quality of content, or is it related to how it is put
across?
As compared to our previous generations, the
attention span and patience of humans have
drastically plummeted. In such scenarios,
animation proves to be a potent tool as it
ensures that the users focus on data that you
want them to see.
“Animation enables the users to see WHAT
YOU WANT THEM TO SEE!”
Lately, more and more designers have started
incorporating animation as a functional element
while designing product interfaces, as it has
been found to enhance the user experience.
However, just randomly adding animations to
the interface is not good enough, but placing
them at the right spot is essential too!
It’s our peripheral vision that helps us identify
any movement outside the center of our field of
view. From an evolutionary perspective, this
serves to be an indispensable skill that helps us
detect danger. However, it also implies that we
are sensitive and prone to
distraction by sudden movements (be it
meaningful or not). Thus, one has to carefully
draw the line between the useful application of
motion in user interfaces and one that is
namesake, as the latter could defeat the
purpose. It becomes difficult to stop attending to
it, and, if irrelevant to the task at hand, it can
substantially degrade the user experience.
How to Attain the WOW Factor while
Designing Animation for UI
One must ask the following questions:
1. User Focus: Where will the user’s attention
be focused at the time the animation occurs?
2. Continuity Transition: What is the
relationship between the objects already in the
user’s focus of attention?
3. Frequency of the Animation: How often will
the user encounter the animation in one
session?
4. Mechanics of the Animation: Is it caused
directly by a user action; or is it caused
indirectly? (On page load, while scrolling, or any
other such activity)
Animation is Multipurpose as it:
Helps build mental models
Good animation is like adding just the right
amount of salt in food: not too little, not too
much, just right! It blends with various other
elements of an interface to turn it into a
wholesome experience. It has the power to
either make or break your design. The subtle
use of animation helps build mental models and
enlighten the users about how a particular
system works and how they are required to
interact with it. Therefore, to enhance the user
experience, animations should be incorporated
at the right time and in the right place.
Keeps the user engaged
When a particular task has a longer waiting
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