UI Microinteractions

Dan Saffer defined microinteractions as contained product moments that revolve around a single use case: toggling a setting, liking a post, pulling to refresh. They have four parts: a Trigger (user action or system condition), Rules (what happens), Feedback (what the user sees/hears/feels), and Loops & Modes (what happens on repeat or over time). A well-designed microinteraction is invisible when it works correctly—you don't notice a smooth toggle switch. But a poorly designed one (a button that gives no feedback when clicked) creates uncertainty and frustration. Microinteractions are where UI feels either polished or amateur.