Interaction
A purposeful way learners engage with content, make decisions, practice skills, explore information, or receive feedback as part of a learning experience.
Interaction
Interaction is about what the learner does — not how much they click.
In a learning experience, an interaction gives the learner something purposeful to do with the content. They might explore information, make a decision, practice a skill, answer a question, try a process, or respond to a realistic situation.
Clicking a button can be part of an interaction, but the click itself does not make the experience meaningful. The value comes from the thinking, practice, or action the interaction supports.
Give It a Purpose
Start with the learning need, then choose the interaction.
Different interactions support different kinds of learning. The format should follow what the learner needs to understand, decide, practice, or apply.
What does the learner need to do with this information?
Beyond Clicks
More interaction does not automatically mean more learning.
Tabs, hotspots, accordions, drag-and-drops, buttons, and other clickable elements can help organize or reveal information. But requiring more clicks can also add effort without adding learning value.
- A tab interaction can help learners explore related information without overwhelming the screen.
- A hotspot can be useful when identifying parts of an image, interface, diagram, or physical environment.
- A scenario can help learners practice judgment and see the consequences of different decisions.
- A simulation can help learners rehearse a task or process in a lower-risk environment.
- Sometimes simply reading a clear explanation is more effective than adding an interaction.
Design It Well
Make the interaction clear, usable, and worth the learner's effort.
A learner should be able to understand what to do without spending unnecessary effort figuring out the interface. The challenge should come from the learning task — not confusing navigation or controls.
- Make instructions and expected actions clear.
- Keep controls, labels, and navigation consistent.
- Provide useful feedback when learners make decisions or practice a skill.
- Avoid unnecessary motion, complexity, or decorative interaction that competes with the content.
- Make sure the interaction works with keyboard navigation and other accessibility needs.
- Consider whether the interaction still works well on smaller screens and different devices.
Choose Intentionally
Not every piece of content needs an interaction.
Interaction is one design option, not a requirement for every screen or learning experience. The right amount depends on the audience, content, desired performance, technology, time, accessibility needs, and context.
- Use straightforward presentation when learners simply need a clear explanation or reference.
- Add exploration when learners benefit from examining relationships or choosing what to investigate.
- Add decisions when judgment is part of the real work.
- Add practice when learners need to build confidence, skill, or fluency.
- Add feedback when learners need help understanding the effect of their choices or actions.
What will the learner think, decide, practice, or understand better because this interaction is here?