Motion that actually means something

Animation isn’t decoration. Used well, it’s the cheapest way to make an interface feel understandable.

Motion as explanation

The job of motion is to answer questions the user almost asked: where did that go? can I bring it back?

Three rules we keep

• Under 250ms unless you have a reason.
• Match easing to physics, not taste.
• If the user has prefers-reduced-motion, respect it without apology.

Animation should make an interface feel obvious, not impressive.

Where to spend your motion budget

Spend it on transitions that connect two screens, on confirmations, and on empty states. Don’t spend it on hero sections nobody scrolls past.

Self-test