Section 9 · Time, Motion & Interaction

Microinteraction

Definition

A small, contained interaction event with four parts: a trigger that initiates it, a rule determining what happens, feedback communicating it to the user, and loops and modes governing behavior over time.

Why it matters

Microinteractions carry most of an interface’s perceived quality. They are also where a designed motion language either holds up consistently or reveals itself as decoration.

Example

Pull-to-refresh: the drag is the trigger, the threshold is the rule, the spinner is the feedback.

Teaching note

The four-part breakdown is the useful part — it gives students a checklist for diagnosing an interaction that feels wrong, which is usually a missing feedback stage.