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Incorporating animation into an app design is a great way to enhance the user experience. Small animated features, like Apple sign on screens shaking when an incorrect password is entered, can create a more intuitive experience for users interacting with digital content. Herbert Lui, a blogger for TechVibes.com, recently wrote an article about the many different ways designers can incorporate animation into the User Experience Design.
Lui believes that animation is becoming increasingly important with mobile application development. “In mobile interface design, animation is a design ingredient that was overlooked, and is now emerging as a solid detail,” writes Lui. When using animation in a design scheme, Lui suggests keeping three rules in mind:
1. Apply restraint
“There is nothing more annoying than a mobile experience with too much animation applied,” writes Lui, “Instead, an animation should have a reason for existing or a story behind it.” The key is to adopt animation when the user experience calls for it, not simply as a flashy or novel feature to gain attention.
2. Use complementary principles
“The most effective animations are an orchestration of many principles applied together,” suggest Lui. Consider blending several different styles or principles of animation together to get the smoothest user experience possible.
3. Use animation in a supporting role
Animation’s role is to help facilitate an exceptional user experience. “Make sure your animation supports the user interactions in the experience,” writes Lui, “and doesn’t detract or confuse.”
Animation is a great technique User Experience & Design technique. If you choose to incorporate animation into your next development project, be sure to remember these simple tips. What experiences have you had that could have been aided by this advice?
