R093 · 20 Movement, Transitions & Interactivity

Movement, Transitions & Interactivity at a Glance

This infographic shows how motion, screen changes and interactive elements improve usability and audience engagement.

Movement – How and Why Things Move On Screen

Movement can draw attention, show relationships between elements and make a product feel alive. It must be used carefully so it helps the user rather than distracting them.

Types of Movement

• Scrolling – vertical or horizontal movement of content (web pages, galleries).
  Effect: lets the user explore more information in a natural way.
• Animated icons or buttons – icons that pulse, bounce or highlight.
  Effect: draws attention to key actions such as “Play”, “Buy now” or “Start quiz”.
• Motion graphics – text and shapes that move to introduce sections or explain ideas.
  Effect: makes information clearer and more engaging, especially in explainer videos.
• Character or object animation – movement in games or interactive stories.
  Effect: makes the world feel responsive and fun to interact with.

Good Practice for Movement

• Movement should support the purpose of the product and not just look “cool”.
• Too much movement can be distracting or make it hard to read text.
• Speed of movement should be tested so it feels smooth and readable on different devices.

Transitions – Changing Screens and Scenes Smoothly

Transitions control how the user moves from one screen, scene or section to another. They help show that something has changed and can make navigation feel more polished.

Common Transition Types

• Cut – an instant change between scenes or screens.
  Effect: feels quick and direct; often used in fast-paced content.
• Fade – one scene gradually appears or disappears.
  Effect: smooth and calm; good for beginning or ending sections.
• Slide – new content moves in from one side of the screen.
  Effect: suggests the user is moving to a new page or tab in a clear direction.
• Wipe – one scene pushes or reveals another.
  Effect: can feel playful or stylised; used in some video edits and slideshows.

Transitions and User Experience (UX)

• Consistent transitions help users learn how the product behaves.
• Slow or over-the-top transitions can annoy users and waste time.
• Short, clear transitions give feedback that their action has worked (e.g. moving to the next question in a quiz).

Interactivity – Letting the User Take Control

Interactivity is any point where the user can input something or make a choice and the product responds. Interactive features must be clear, easy to use and suitable for the chosen audience.

Examples of Interactive Elements

• Buttons and icons – play, pause, next, back, like, share.
• Navigation menus – top menus, side menus, burger menus and tabs.
• Forms and text fields – sign-ups, search bars, contact forms.
• Hotspots – clickable areas on images or diagrams.
• Game controls – keyboard, mouse, controller or touch gestures.

Feedback and Accessibility

• Visual feedback – hover states, colour changes, animations on click.
• Audio feedback – click sounds, success chimes, error beeps.
• Text feedback – confirmation messages, tooltips and error messages.
• Accessibility – controls should be big enough, labelled clearly and easy to use with keyboard or touch.