Interaction design vs. UX: Here’s the difference

Interaction design (IxD) focuses on how user interfaces (UIs) respond to human actions through various elements like animations, sliders, and other interactive components, enhancing the overall user experience (UX) by shaping user behavior and simplifying digital interactions. Unlike early technology's limited feedback mechanisms, modern IxD involves complex interactions such as scrolling, clicking, and hover effects, providing intuitive cues for user engagement. It encompasses five dimensions: words, visual representations, physical objects or space, time, and behavior, each playing a critical role in crafting digital experiences. IxD is distinct from UX, which is concerned with the overall experience and usability, while IxD specifically bridges the UI and the user by adding interactivity to visual design. Notable examples of interaction design include Google's file upload animations and the "pull down to refresh" feature, both of which enhance user control and satisfaction.