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Interaction Design

Seth HobsonCommunityCreated by Seth Hobson

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Software development
  • MIT
  • No issues found

From the author

Design and implement microinteractions, motion design, transitions, and user feedback patterns. Use when adding polish to UI interactions, implementing loading states, or creating delightful user experiences.
— the description by Seth Hobson

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a framework for designing and implementing microinteractions, motion design, and state transitions to enhance user experience. It covers core principles of purposeful motion, timing guidelines, and easing functions, while offering practical implementation patterns for loading states, gestures, and feedback systems. The skill emphasizes performance, accessibility, and consistent animation logic within web applications.

What it does

  • Defines principles for purposeful motion and user feedback.
  • Provides timing and easing guidelines for consistent UI animations.
  • Offers implementation patterns for loading states and skeleton screens.
  • Demonstrates gesture-based interactions like swipe-to-dismiss.
  • Includes accessibility best practices for respecting user motion preferences.
  • Provides code patterns for common UI components using animation libraries.

When to use it

  • When adding microinteractions to improve user feedback.
  • When implementing smooth transitions between pages or components.
  • When designing loading states or skeleton screens.
  • When creating interactive elements like buttons, toggles, or gesture-based controls.
  • When ensuring UI animations are accessible and performant.

Advantages

  • Enhances usability through clear visual feedback.
  • Improves perceived performance with skeleton screens and smooth transitions.
  • Ensures consistent animation behavior across the application.
  • Promotes accessibility by respecting user motion settings.
  • Provides ready-to-use patterns for common interaction design challenges.

Usage examples

“Create a button that scales slightly when hovered and tapped.”
A React component using motion properties to provide tactile feedback on user interaction.
“Implement a loading state for a card component.”
A skeleton screen pattern that preserves layout structure while content is being fetched.
“How do I handle page transitions in my app?”
A wrapper component using AnimatePresence to animate content entry and exit.
“Make my toggle switch feel more responsive.”
A toggle component with spring-based motion for the switch handle and smooth color transitions.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/wshobson/interaction-design/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip interaction-design.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Seth Hobson

Interaction Design

Create engaging, intuitive interactions through motion, feedback, and thoughtful state transitions that enhance usability and delight users.

When to Use This Skill

  • Adding microinteractions to enhance user feedback

  • Implementing smooth page and component transitions

  • Designing loading states and skeleton screens

  • Creating gesture-based interactions

  • Building notification and toast systems

  • Implementing drag-and-drop interfaces

  • Adding scroll-triggered animations

  • Designing hover and focus states

Core Principles

1. Purposeful Motion

Motion should communicate, not decorate:

  • Feedback: Confirm user actions occurred

  • Orientation: Show where elements come from/go to

  • Focus: Direct attention to important changes

  • Continuity: Maintain context during transitions

2. Timing Guidelines
DurationUse Case
100-150msMicro-feedback (hovers, clicks)
200-300msSmall transitions (toggles, dropdowns)
300-500msMedium transitions (modals, page changes)
500ms+Complex choreographed animations
3. Easing Functions
/* Common easings */
--ease-out: cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1); /* Decelerate - entering */
--ease-in: cubic-bezier(0.55, 0, 1, 0.45); /* Accelerate - exiting */
--ease-in-out: cubic-bezier(0.65, 0, 0.35, 1); /* Both - moving between */
--spring: cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1); /* Overshoot - playful */

Quick Start: Button Microinteraction

import { motion } from "framer-motion";

export function InteractiveButton({ children, onClick }) {
  return (
    <motion.button
      onClick={onClick}
      whileHover={{ scale: 1.02 }}
      whileTap={{ scale: 0.98 }}
      transition={{ type: "spring", stiffness: 400, damping: 17 }}
      className="px-4 py-2 bg-blue-600 text-white rounded-lg"
    >
      {children}
    </motion.button>
  );
}

Interaction Patterns

1. Loading States

Skeleton Screens: Preserve layout while loading

function CardSkeleton() {
  return (
    <div className="animate-pulse">
      <div className="h-48 bg-gray-200 rounded-lg" />
      <div className="mt-4 h-4 bg-gray-200 rounded w-3/4" />
      <div className="mt-2 h-4 bg-gray-200 rounded w-1/2" />
    </div>
  );
}

Progress Indicators: Show determinate progress

function ProgressBar({ progress }: { progress: number }) {
  return (
    <div className="h-2 bg-gray-200 rounded-full overflow-hidden">
      <motion.div
        className="h-full bg-blue-600"
        initial={{ width: 0 }}
        animate={{ width: `${progress}%` }}
        transition={{ ease: "easeOut" }}
      />
    </div>
  );
}
2. State Transitions

Toggle with smooth transition:

function Toggle({ checked, onChange }) {
  return (
    <button
      role="switch"
      aria-checked={checked}
      onClick={() => onChange(!checked)}
      className={`
        relative w-12 h-6 rounded-full transition-colors duration-200
        ${checked ? "bg-blue-600" : "bg-gray-300"}
      `}
    >
      <motion.span
        className="absolute top-1 left-1 w-4 h-4 bg-white rounded-full shadow"
        animate={{ x: checked ? 24 : 0 }}
        transition={{ type: "spring", stiffness: 500, damping: 30 }}
      />
    </button>
  );
}
3. Page Transitions

Framer Motion layout animations:

import { AnimatePresence, motion } from "framer-motion";

function PageTransition({ children, key }) {
  return (
    <AnimatePresence mode="wait">
      <motion.div
        key={key}
        initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 20 }}
        animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }}
        exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -20 }}
        transition={{ duration: 0.3 }}
      >
        {children}
      </motion.div>
    </AnimatePresence>
  );
}
4. Feedback Patterns

Ripple effect on click:

function RippleButton({ children, onClick }) {
  const [ripples, setRipples] = useState([]);

  const handleClick = (e) => {
    const rect = e.currentTarget.getBoundingClientRect();
    const ripple = {
      x: e.clientX - rect.left,
      y: e.clientY - rect.top,
      id: Date.now(),
    };
    setRipples((prev) => [...prev, ripple]);
    setTimeout(() => {
      setRipples((prev) => prev.filter((r) => r.id !== ripple.id));
    }, 600);
    onClick?.(e);
  };

  return (
    <button onClick={handleClick} className="relative overflow-hidden">
      {children}
      {ripples.map((ripple) => (
        <span
          key={ripple.id}
          className="absolute bg-white/30 rounded-full animate-ripple"
          style={{ left: ripple.x, top: ripple.y }}
        />
      ))}
    </button>
  );
}
5. Gesture Interactions

Swipe to dismiss:

function SwipeCard({ children, onDismiss }) {
  return (
    <motion.div
      drag="x"
      dragConstraints={{ left: 0, right: 0 }}
      onDragEnd={(_, info) => {
        if (Math.abs(info.offset.x) > 100) {
          onDismiss();
        }
      }}
      className="cursor-grab active:cursor-grabbing"
    >
      {children}
    </motion.div>
  );
}

CSS Animation Patterns

Keyframe Animations
@keyframes fadeIn {
  from {
    opacity: 0;
    transform: translateY(10px);
  }
  to {
    opacity: 1;
    transform: translateY(0);
  }
}

@keyframes pulse {
  0%,
  100% {
    opacity: 1;
  }
  50% {
    opacity: 0.5;
  }
}

@keyframes spin {
  to {
    transform: rotate(360deg);
  }
}

.animate-fadeIn {
  animation: fadeIn 0.3s ease-out;
}
.animate-pulse {
  animation: pulse 2s ease-in-out infinite;
}
.animate-spin {
  animation: spin 1s linear infinite;
}
CSS Transitions
.card {
  transition:
    transform 0.2s ease-out,
    box-shadow 0.2s ease-out;
}

.card:hover {
  transform: translateY(-4px);
  box-shadow: 0 12px 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}

Accessibility Considerations

/* Respect user motion preferences */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  *,
  *::before,
  *::after {
    animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
    animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
    transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
  }
}
function AnimatedComponent() {
  const prefersReducedMotion = window.matchMedia(
    "(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)",
  ).matches;

  return (
    <motion.div
      animate={{ opacity: 1 }}
      transition={{ duration: prefersReducedMotion ? 0 : 0.3 }}
    />
  );
}

Best Practices

  1. Performance First: Use transform and opacity for smooth 60fps

  2. Reduce Motion Support: Always respect prefers-reduced-motion

  3. Consistent Timing: Use a timing scale across the app

  4. Natural Physics: Prefer spring animations over linear

  5. Interruptible: Allow users to cancel long animations

  6. Progressive Enhancement: Work without JS animations

  7. Test on Devices: Performance varies significantly

Common Issues

  • Janky Animations: Avoid animating width, height, top, left

  • Over-animation: Too much motion causes fatigue

  • Blocking Interactions: Never prevent user input during animations

  • Memory Leaks: Clean up animation listeners on unmount

  • Flash of Content: Use will-change sparingly for optimization

Files

LICENSE

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2024 Seth Hobson

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE. 

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

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Attribution and licence

Created by
Seth Hobson
Publisher
Seth Hobson (Community)
Source
wshobson/agents · plugins/ui-design/skills/interaction-design · commit 4bde316
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

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Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download interaction-design.zip