Emerging Guidelines for Communicating with Animation in Mobile User Interfaces

Abstract

Animations are a widely used design element in mobile user interfaces; however, it is unclear how these uses of animation support or challenge prior research. Therefore, I examine the current animation guidelines published by Microsoft, Apple, and Google, and then compare these guidelines to seven design principles proposed by previous studies (solidity, exaggeration, reinforcement, attachment, reluctance, smoothness, anticipation). I then examine the animation types (e.g., rotation and fading) used by a specific mobile application. By comparing current practices to previous research, I argue that decades-old design principles can be used to understand and clarify the frequent injunction to design animation that is "realistic" and/or "lively." I also call attention to emerging terms and concepts that are not covered by prior research, providing possible threads for future study.