“Interaction Design is the creation of a dialogue between a person and a product, system, or service. This dialogue is both physical and emotional in nature and is manifested in the interplay between form, functions, and technology as experienced over time” – John Kolko
As the name indicates, it is the interaction/communication between the user and the product (in our case digital products like a mobile app, web app, website, etc:). An interaction designer should strive to achieve the best interaction between users and products. Visual design is a key component of achieving this goal. The UX Design phase, which involves solving problems using various methods, is followed by Interaction design. This phase is crucial in product design as it allows us to create products that interact with end users. This is where interaction designers come in. Many people believe that UI animations can be called interaction design. Interaction designers are the ones who create these animations. that’s wrong. These animations are only one dimension of interaction design. The UI animation shows how the user interacts with the product. This is it.
1. Words/Texts
Since Interaction design is the communication/interaction between the product and the users, Texts/words have a significant role in it. A well-placed word can make a difference. Giving the right word in the right place will make user interaction easier and more fluid. The term “right word” should be easy to understand and familiar to end users. The term must also clearly convey its purpose or role. The text should be placed underneath the icon so that the user can read it first and then understand the action. Words are faster to understand than words. Use terms/words appropriately.
2. Visual representations
Visual elements that assist in interaction between the user and the product, other than text. For better communication, we can use iconography, graphical representations and typographical treatment. All these visual representations fall under the 2nd dimension interaction design. Sometimes visual representations can be stronger than text. Some iconography, such as search icons, are so familiar that users don’t even need to look at the text to understand its purpose. We can also make interaction as smooth as butter.
3. Physical Objects
The third dimension is the interface the user has with the product. You can use a tablet or mobile device to interact with the product. We can give the user a clickable feeling by showing hover actions when they are working with the mouse. But when it comes to touch screens, hover actions cannot be shown. To make it clickable, we need another solution.
4. Time
Media that is dynamic, such as animations, videos and sound: These elements help users to interact with the product in a fun way. Animation can be used to convey success and provide a pleasant sound when completing tasks. This would provide a pleasant experience for the user. These animations should not be completed too quickly. The progress bar animation is another great way to save time. It allows us to see how a process/operation is progressing.
5. Behavior
Reactions, actions, operations, presentations… These are the basic components of how our application behaves. This 5th dimension includes a success message, Swipe actions, and a summary of when we have completed a task. Create a behavior that is easy to adapt and understandable by the users.
Summary
Product success is dependent on the quality of the interaction between users and products. Interaction design plays a crucial role in product success. These 5 dimensions of interaction design help the product communicate with users in the most effective way. We cannot direct users in the right direction if we use confusing text or misguided icons/images. These 5 points are important and you will learn valuable lessons from real projects. These 5 points alone will not help you reach your ultimate goal. Nothing can replace the hands-on experience.
