The Future of motion design in user interface — UI
Google recently gave a talk at its I/O conference, outlining the motion language that will be standardized across Google’s product line. So what is all the fuss about? And why does it matter? Motion tells stories. Everything in an app is a sequence, and motion is your guide. For every button clicked and screen transition, there is a story that follows.
And that’s because motion design covers all those areas and more. It’s a wide-ranging specialty, but one that also exists in a silo — in part because the software best suited for motion design hasn’t always integrated with the software for interface design. The future of design prototype software will include advanced motion tools that allow designers to better visualize and more accurately test the UX of their products. Applying motion to the elements of design to achieve those principles is one of the strongest tools in a designer’s chest. Nothing tells a story, describes a relationship, or adds personality quite as effectively as motion can.
Motion design is also not a “nice to have.” It must be baked into the design process to be it is most effective. When you design a modal overlay, prescribe its fade-in and fade-out bezier curves. When you decide to use a card layout, design the transitions of the cards as they overlap each other. If you want to add slick page transitions to a marketing site, explore and justify that idea early on and build the experience around it.
Be sure to keep these ideas in mind when crafting your next interface. Motion design is a powerful tool to keep your users oriented in your app. It can work wonders on monotonous tasks, like entering a password or scrolling through lists. How often do you unlock your iPhone or scroll through text messages just to play with the animation? You may not even be aware you’re doing it. Users now expect fluid interfaces that respond to touch. Your designs come alive when they respond to touch and deep connections are made when they respond in delightful ways through motion graphics.
