Microinteractions, that small (big) detail

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It is often said that the devil is in the details. What if the success of an app or software was also in the small details, would they be ignored?

Features and details are the two factors that the best products cannot fail to deliver. Features attract attention to the product and make it more competitive. But it is the value of the details that make users want to come back and that truly sets the product apart from the competition.

Microinteractions are a detail that is sometimes overlooked, but they can take a product from an acceptable level to a product that is loved by its users. These interactions can be fun and, at the same time, simplify the lives of users, making the entire experience more enjoyable and rewarding.

But what are Microinteractions after all?

Microinteractions are the small moments in which the user and the jordan whatsapp number database interact. When these moments are well structured and thought out, they improve the user experience, but when they are poorly designed, they can completely ruin that experience.

Microinteractions are everywhere, in our devices, in our home appliances, in the applications we use in our daily lives. The following are examples of microinteractions that we are all familiar with:

Swipe

It eliminates excess clicks and is a simple and fluid microinteraction.


Hamburger menu

Easily recognizable by users to show or hide a menu.


System states

They keep the user informed about the status of the software or app, i.e., they provide context when the system is unresponsive, when an error occurs or how long a certain process will take to be executed.


Text inputs and their feedback

Feedback about password security or username availability can smooth the experience and help the user complete a task.


“Pull-to-refresh” action

This is a pattern used in many applications to present more data. For example, in the Instagram feed this action shows the most recent posts.

Thus, the essential functions of microinteractions are to provide feedback and communicate the result of a given action.


What components are used?

Basically, microinteractions are divided into 4 components:

Trigger

This is what starts the microinteraction. There are 2 types of triggers:

User-initiated: These are the most common. They can be found in links, inputs or buttons. For example, the user clicks on a dropdown (trigger), which causes it to expand and display its content;
System-initiated: These are initiated when a set of conditions are met. For example, an Instagram user is tagged in a photo (trigger), which causes them to receive a notification.

Rules

Determine what happens when a trigger is presented: What happens if the user clicks this button? Will they be redirected to a new page? Will they delete their account?

For example, when a user is inactive for 20 minutes (condition), their status will be changed to "Away" (rule).

Feedback

Informs the user about what is happening, whether it is an action that has been performed or a change made, using vibration, sounds, animations or loading, for example.