The role of microinteractions and small details in UX design
Microinteractions play a huge role in UX design despite being labelled «micro». They include all the small details you can find in a software product, i.e. animations, emotive reactions, clicks, vibrations, etc. Not only do they make it more interesting and joyful for users to interact with a product, they also help ease the navigation process and make it more intuitive by providing important information. Which types of microinteractions can be used in apps, what makes them a vital part of software products, how to implement them correctly and which common mistakes to avoid when designing small details?
Types of microinteractions
Preloader: an animation shown to users while the page is loading. It«s a great way to make waiting more entertaining and promote user retention. Preloaders can either consist of simple animated objects like geometrical figures or provide information like loading time or app details.
Pop-ups: in-app hints that help to understand the functions and sections of the product.
Progress bars: bars that track the user«s progress in completing task lists or indicating how much content remains on the page (for example, in news articles).
Validation alerts: icons or animations that indicate whether data the user entered is correct or not.
Reaction animations: animations that pop up when the user presses a certain button or completes the task. Their goal is to entertain users and make the product more «alive», but it«s important not to make them too bright, frequent and distracting.
Swiping: a microinteraction made popular by dating apps and now often being implemented in other types of software products. By swiping left or right users can choose between options, turn on/off features, move between pages, etc.
Response icons: bubbles, icons or text used in chats or chatbots to indicate the other person (or bot) are typing a response and are engaged in a conversation.
Tactile responses: subtle vibration that accompanies user«s actions on the phone, providing confirmation when completing a task.
Sound cues: subtle clicks, shutter and other sounds that users hear when pressing certain buttons or performing certain tasks.
Like/Share/Save buttons: commonly used buttons in the majority of apps that encourage users to interact with the product and easily rate, save or share any type of content.
Why are microinteractions important?
Providing feedback: Microinteractions is a great way to connect with users and give them instant feedback on their in-app actions, especially when it comes to entering data like passwords. Within a split second user gets notified whether he«s performed the action correctly or if something went wrong.
Making onboarding easy: The best way to get users familiar with the product and help them study all its parts and functions is to use microinteractions like pop-ups, beacons and tooltips.
Contributing to user retention: Small details matter the most, so microinteractions play a huge role on the overall impression from the product. By making the app more intuitive and vivid, microinteractions evoke emotional connection and make users want to regularly engage with the product, contributing to user retention.
Rules for designing microinteractions
Сonciseness: Microinteractions are meant to help users, not to distract or irritate. That«s why they should be designed in a simple and concise manner. Avoid making them too bright or complicated and only implement them in those parts of the app where they are truly needed and serve a certain goal.
Consistency: If your product functions on different platforms or in various forms, the design of microinteractions should be consistent and not vary, so as not to cause confusion and discomfort in user experience.
Matching the product: The design, style and color of microinteractions should align with the style of the app itself and/or the brand it represents. For example, if the app has a soft color palette, the same should be applied to microinteractions, or if the app is designed for business/educational purposes, microinteractions should be discreet.
Testing before implementing: Sometimes, microinteractions might seem like something not worth spending time testing for, but the reality is that it«s very important to test them before implementing in a product. Testing helps separate useful and necessary microinteractions from excess ones and polish those that are left to be as intuitive and helpful for users as possible.
Realistic design: It«s important to avoid making microinteractions look too inanimate and robotic. Even though they should be concise, they should still make users feel like the product is communicating and connecting with them instead of just giving dry generated instructions.
Typical mistakes in microinteractions design
Overdesigning: Sometimes you can get the urge to make micro-details too vivid or overly animated, especially if the product itself is designed in a bright colour palette. Unfortunately, as capturing as it might look at first sight, such excessive design will most likely lead to distracting users and slowing down the whole process, negatively impacting user experience.
Prioritizing looks over speed: Users appreciate it when their time is not wasted in vain, which makes fast loading speed one of the main factors of user retention. Microinteractions that involve too much motion, like spinning for too long or changing too many colors, borrow precious seconds from users, distract them and interrupt the seamless flow.
Being inconsistent: Inconsistency is one of the worst mistakes in any part of the product design, and microinteractions are not an exception. All details in the product that serve the same purpose should be designed in the same manner. For example, if there are several preloaders in the app, some of which are animated while others aren«t, the latter can cause confusion on whether the page is loading or the app has frozen. Another example of inconsistency is when not all actions of similar character are accompanied by validations alert, leaving users confused on whether they«re making any mistakes.
Conclusion
Microinteractions can help users connect with the product and navigate through it with ease and comfort. Even though they sound like something small, they are very significant for providing a high-quality user experience and retaining users, that«s why they should be given close attention by UI/UX designers when working on the product. If designed correctly, they can serve as a great tool for making the product functional, stylish and fun to use.
