User Experience (UX) Design has a lot to do with ensuring every interaction a user has with a product feels intuitive.
In this context, Interaction Design takes the lead when ensuring users can find what they need quickly and smoothly.
No matter the complexity of the product, providing a relevant experience for users is key to enhancing trust.
That's why, in this article, we'll delve into what IxD is and how it relates to User Experience Design.
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What is Interaction Design (IxD)?
IxD, short for Interaction Design, is a subset of UX Design that overlaps with Human-Computer Interaction, Graphic Design, User Interface Design and Information Architecture.
It involves designing interactions for digital products intending to help target users get what they need in the best and most pleasurable way possible.
According to John Kolko, the author of the book "Thoughts on Interaction Design," these interactions work as an emotional and physical dialogue.
What Does an Interaction Designer Do?
IxD has to do with designing the interactions that allow end users to manipulate a digital product. But how does their work fit into the Product Design process?
While specific tasks can vary a lot, IxD Designers define and create interactions through wireframing and prototyping.
Here, teams harness visual designs, white space and other interactive elements.
Wireframes show how users interact with UI visual elements and use them to access other sections of the app.
Thanks to tech advances, end-user interaction has many facets, such as clicking, tapping, swiping, drag-and-drop and voice commands.
Interaction Designers turn these wireframes into interactive prototypes for Usability Testing purposes.
In short, the work of an IxD Designer focuses on Wireframing and Prototyping, ensuring beautiful User Interfaces (UI) that provide meaningful experiences.
To do so, Interaction Designers should consider five dimensions: words, visual representations, physical objects, time and behavior.
5 Dimensions of Interaction Design (IxD)
1. IxD Words
Words are one of the best ways to communicate information effectively, playing a crucial role in how users navigate a digital product.
Interaction Designers focus on meaningful, concise and simple words in visual elements.
These elements include bars, buttons, boxes and menus so users can operate a digital product without getting overwhelmed.
2. IxD Visual Representations
IxD also uses a wide range of graphical elements to convey information, such as icons, buttons, color schemes, diagrams, typography and images.
Visuals can further help explain how a product works without using words.
A great example is how cross and bin icons are widely used to represent deleting actions.
Design teams can also use feedback mechanisms like the green color to indicate an action was successful and the red color when something went wrong.
3. IxD Physical Objects
IxD's third dimension involves the devices (keyboards, laptops, mouse trackers, smartphones and touchscreens) used interact with a product while also considering how these objects shape user interaction.
It's key to consider the places where users are likely to use the product. Is it at their office or maybe on the bus?
An example of this can be when Google Maps uses voice instructions while used on a car because it knows most users are driving.
4. IxD Response Time
In IxD, time involves animations, sound effects, videos and other motion effects.
It considers how quickly these media elements change as users interact with the product.
Time can also involve giving users the ability to track their progress as they complete a task, such as a signup process.
For security reasons, some actions only last a very limited amount of time.
In Fintech, for example, an app can log users out after some minutes of inactivity.
5. IxD Behavior
Behavior in IxD refers to how users react to the product's feedback.
A practical example is when products show a success message with a check mark after users complete an action.
According to the Interaction Design Foundation, behavior in IxD also involves emotional responses.
This translates into the users' feelings when receiving feedback.
Interaction Design vs UX Design
IxD is a subfield of UX Design that focuses on creating digital interfaces.
Meanwhile, UX Design is a multidisciplinary field that shapes the entire experience of using a product.
Usually, UX Design also involves User Research, Experience Strategy and Information Architecture.
It covers all the stages of the design process, which include tasks like Empathy Mapping, creating User Personas and User Testing.
The specific tasks of an IxD and a User Experience Designer can vary a lot from business to business depending on many factors, such as company size and niche.
It's common to see a huge overlap between Interaction Design and User Experience Design in small businesses, where a small team of UX Designers takes care of the Design process.
In larger businesses, there can be separate roles for each aspect of the design process, such as Product Designer, UX Researcher, Visual Designer, User Interface Designers, Information Architect and, of course, Interaction Designer.
Conclusion
IxD is a specialized design field that focuses on the creation of meaningful interactions for digital products.
This design discipline defines how users will interact with the interface elements, aiming to provide pleasant experiences during the entire user journey.
As a UX-driven Agency with over 14 years of experience, we know how important IxD is in creating seamless digital experiences.
Feel free to reach out if you'd like to hear about our unique approach to bringing business ideas to life!
