Apps that have no animation in them look very dull and dead. Animations are like the party’s life that can turn drawing into objects, and the phone screen a world to explore for the user and engage. The addition of animation to the app is like the finishing touch of a painting that makes it even more splendid. The animation does not have to be extravagant. If it has the correct design, colour, font, layout, and user flow, it makes the app shine brighter than it already was. It is not a piece of a cakewalk as much brainstorming; planning goes required and sketching out the user flow. You keep experimenting with the feature and keep adding elements as you go forward with it. When it satisfies you, you polish it. It is a method of going from rough ideas to rough sketches to realistic prototypes.
A decent mobile app should boost an excellent interface design and an excellent web host along with a smooth and engaging user experience. This is based on how much the user prefers the app and engages with it. Getting it done correctly works for a more significant percentage of the time. Let’s look into the type of mobile app UI animations that can be used for the app.
Types of Mobile App UI animation
There are a variety of animations for mobile apps, and each of them serves a different purpose. Let’s see the types and purposes of these animations.
1. Marketing animation
This animation is focused on grabbing the attention of the user towards the customised logo of the app. The animation of mascots, motto, or logo is often attached to the welcome screen to engage with the user.
2. Feedback animation
This animation informs the user of the desired action that has been successful or failed. It maintains proper communication between the app and the user, even for essential operation. It tries to emulate the interactions with real objects in the offline world. If you press an actual button, you can feel the strength and resistance of the controller. When you look into the app, tap on the screen, you don’t get physical feedback of any kind. This is where the sensor screen comes into, tackles the vibration and the visual signs emitted from the app. It’s just for this UI animation you get to have this experience. Animated button, toggle, switches, ticks inform the users when the job has been done. It not only gives feedback but makes it fun at the same time.
3. Attention-drawing animation
When the user interacts with the app, this kind of animation plays UX Affordance’s role. It embraces the general visual hierarchy by allowing the motion to grab the user’s attention and direct him to the apps’ necessary details. It makes navigation easy and precise, and there is no wastage of time in scanning through the app’s screen layout. It draws attention and makes the app more lively. We can use this animation for the mobile app.
4. Progress animation
When interaction consumes a longer time, and the users have to wait, they prefer to understand exactly what is going on. This why animated business is beneficial as it assures the user, making them aware, and gives them confidence in the process. When the user is confident, it means they are part of a positive user experience, and therefore it makes the app hold a higher ground of retaining its user. The animation of the toolbar, progress bar, the timeline does multiple jobs at once. It informs the user of the progress, eliminates the negative experience of waiting by showing animations, the design motivates the user to share with their friends, and increases the number of users.
5. Loading animation
This is one of the most used animations in mobile apps. It is a subtype of progress animation that informs the user of the active loading process. There are different kinds of loading animation, such as pre-loading, pul-to-refresh, loading.
6. Animated notification
Notifications are the way to grab the user’s attention when there are new updates in the app. The notifications are hard to miss when a simple animation accompanies them. The animated notification set higher chances of a better user experience.
7. Scroll animation
This is the most used form of animation in mobile apps. It is common in both mobile and web interfaces. The scroll animation can be used in different directions, such as both horizontal and vertical directions. It adds continuity to the animation, along with beauty and elegance. There is a subtle sense of comfort while using scroll animation for mobile apps.
8. Gamification and storytelling
One of the major advantages of using animation in the app is making it a part of a game or storytelling. You can make the app interface lively by adding mascots, rewards, stickers, badges but in animated form. Using feelings and moods through stickers creates a connection with the user.
9. Transition animation
This animation style maintains the flow, style, and elegance in interaction while moving from one screen to another.
Apart from the types of animation that can be used for app animation, it would help keep in mind the necessary motion design principles.
- Material – this refers to the kind of UI interaction that will occur, such as light or heavy, flat or 3D, rigid or flexible.
- The trajectory of movement – nature of the movement, whether it should be a straight one or a curved one.
- Timing – an essential aspect of animation design that gives a natural look to the whole thing.
- Ease-in and Ease-out – this offers a realistic pattern of movement.
- Rhythm – this is like the spine of the animation as it provides structure to the animation.
Keeping these principles and types of animation in mind would make the animation look quite lively and natural. Nothing can make the mobile app from grabbing attention and gaining fame.
