IKEA Motion Language
If you’ve ever walked into an IKEA, you will notice that there’s a more-or-less welcoming atmosphere. This is arguably easy to do with a physical storefront, but how do you achieve that with your online presence—all while keeping in line with your brand? I got tasked to explore and create a language as to how Ikea would “move” in the digital world.
Ask
SPACE10, a research and design lab funded by IKEA, asked me to experiment and develop a motion language for IKEA’s apps that can be integrated over time. SPACE10’s overall mission is to enable a better everyday life for people and the planet.
Core Movement
Move 1 - Place
The first motion is designed to bring UI elements like a button or chat bubble onto the screen and make it feel as if you’re placing something down on a physical surface.
Move 2 - Drop
The second motion is designed to grab attention. The UI element moves up quickly and lands like a solid object with weight to it again referencing to furniture being placed.
Every UI element has these core movements integrated to make them feel part of one family.
Voice Assistant
The IKEA logo is made up of a rectangle and circle. By adding movement, all while respecting the core movements, I created a visual language to indicate what state the voice assistant is currently in.
Idle
Listening
Processing
Replying
Confirmation
Speaking
Processing
Can’t Process