What Are Examples of Microinteractions that Significantly Enhance the User Experience?
To uncover impactful microinteractions in UX design, we asked UX designers to share their best examples. From engaging users with interactive product reveals to boosting checkout with progress bars, here are six insightful examples shared by Creative Directors and Co Founders.
- Engage Users with Interactive Product Reveal
- Add Animations for Reward Unlocks
- Enhance Banking App with Tactile Feedback
- Use Progress Bars for Task Completion
- Simplify Account Switching with Swipe Gesture
- Boost Checkout with Progress Bar
Engage Users with Interactive Product Reveal
I designed a micro-interaction that split a page in half to display half of a product image along with a title describing it. When users drag left or right, they can reveal the full product image and description. This interactive element not only engages the audience by allowing them to control the reveal but also creatively showcases a comparison between two products.
By hiding parts of the products initially, it piques the users' curiosity, encouraging them to interact with the page. This approach not only makes the comparison more engaging but also enhances the overall visual appeal of the page, making the design more interesting and interactive. This micro-interaction has been effective in keeping users engaged and providing a unique way to present product comparisons.
Add Animations for Reward Unlocks
While recently working on a mobile app for a water park, my design team decided to add tiny animations to make the app more interactive and fun to use. For instance, we added water splashes and confetti when users unlocked rewards to make it more engaging.
In combination with development and design, we were able to increase actual ticket purchases and footfall to the client’s water parks.
Enhance Banking App with Tactile Feedback
One memorable microinteraction we designed was for a mobile banking app, specifically for the transfer-money feature. The goal was to make the process not only efficient but also reassuring for users, ensuring they felt confident their actions were secure and successful.
When users initiated a money transfer, we implemented a series of subtle, yet impactful, microinteractions. First, we added a gentle vibration feedback when the transfer button was pressed, providing a tactile confirmation that the action was registered. Next, a small animation displayed a progress bar with a spinning icon, indicating the transaction was being processed.
Once the transfer was successful, a celebratory checkmark animation appeared, accompanied by a friendly 'Transfer Complete!' message and a brief confetti burst. This made the process feel rewarding. Additionally, an option to share or save the receipt popped up smoothly, guiding users on the next possible actions without overwhelming them.
This combination of visual, auditory, and tactile feedback significantly improved user confidence and satisfaction. Users reported feeling more assured and pleased with the process, leading to higher engagement and fewer customer support inquiries regarding money transfers.
Use Progress Bars for Task Completion
Human brains predictably respond to rewards and punishments. For this reason, one of my favorite micro-interactions in UX design is to include both a progress bar and a celebration animation for completing a task. This can be very useful for multi-page forms where people have a tendency to abandon before they finish.
The bar gives them a mini-reward for completing each page or question, which keeps them engaged. The celebration animation is a visual representation of the payoff at the end. As a result, users are more likely to feel good and come back to the website or participate in a similar task in the future. One simple way to get started is with surveys. I use lots of them to collect customer feedback, and there are many pre-made solutions you can easily plug in.
Simplify Account Switching with Swipe Gesture
One microinteraction we designed was for a mobile application where users frequently needed to switch between different accounts, such as personal and business profiles. Traditionally, this required navigating through multiple menus, which was cumbersome.
To enhance the user experience, I introduced a simple swipe gesture over the profile icon. When users swipe left or right on the icon, it immediately toggles between accounts. This interaction was accompanied by a subtle visual transition and haptic feedback to confirm the switch had occurred.
This small change significantly streamlined the user's workflow, reducing the time and effort needed to switch accounts. It turned a routine action into a more engaging and efficient experience. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, as it not only saved time but also made the interaction feel more intuitive and satisfying. This is a prime example of how thoughtful microinteractions can enhance the usability and enjoyment of a product.
Boost Checkout with Progress Bar
Microinteractions can significantly impact the user experience, often more than sweeping changes. One example that stands out is a project where I focused on the checkout process for an e-commerce site. Customers often abandoned their carts at the payment stage, so I introduced a subtle but effective microinteraction: a progress bar that showed users how close they were to completing their purchase.
This small visual cue created a sense of progress and encouraged users to finish their transactions. During A/B testing, we saw a 15% increase in completed purchases when the progress bar was visible. It demonstrated the power of guiding users through their journey with simple, intuitive elements. Small changes like this can have a profound effect on conversion rates, proving that sometimes, the smallest details matter the most.
