Open DS

Motion

Five questions every design system answers about motion. These are Accessible first’s answers, and each one points back to the reasons that chose it.

View all 2 motion tokens ↓

The reasons this scheme answers from

  • R1People and work contextEveryone, including people with disabilities, AAA

Question 1

What is motion for?

  • Feedback only (chosen)
  • Feedback and guidance
  • Feedback and expression

Why Accessible first picks it: Motion only confirms an action.

becauseR1

duration200ms
easingcubic-bezier(0.2, 0, 0, 1)

Question 2

How many speeds exist?

  • One (chosen)
  • Two
  • Three

Why Accessible first picks it: One speed.

becauseQ1

duration1
easing1

Question 3

How is easing defined?

  • Standard ease-out (chosen)
  • A spring

Why Accessible first picks it: A standard ease-out is easy to follow.

becauseR1

  • Standard ease-out
  • from duration
  • from easing

Decisions point at primitives, so the rule lives in one place.

Question 4

How fast does feedback feel?

  • Fast
  • Moderate (chosen)
  • Relaxed

Why Accessible first picks it: Moderate speed is easy to follow.

becauseR1

  • duration
    feedback
    → duration.moderate
  • easing
    standard
    → easing.standard

Question 5

Where does motion show?

  • State changes only (chosen)
  • State changes and panels
  • Hero and launch moments

Why Accessible first picks it: Only state changes move.

becauseQ1

  • transition · 2 keys

When to use

  • Hover and press feedbackUse: motion.duration.feedback (moderate). Not: Fast flicker. Moderate speed is easy to follow.
  • Someone asked for less motionUse: No motion. Not: Reduced motion. When people ask for less motion, nothing moves.

All motion tokens

2 tokens · each decision and the primitive it points to

  • duration · 1duration.moderate200ms
  • easing · 1easing.standardcubic-bezier(0.2, 0, 0, 1)
  • Decisions · 2motion.duration.feedback{duration.moderate}motion.easing.standard{easing.standard}

Decisions reference primitives, so changing one primitive updates every decision and component that uses it.

Motion in Accessible first: moderate. Moderate speed is easy to follow. Only state changes move.