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Animation & VFX · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Micro-Animation

Great design is in the details. This course focuses on functional animation for User Interfaces (UI) and User Experience (UX). Students will learn to create lightweight, vector-based animations—loading spinners, button interactions, and icon transitions—that guide user behavior and add “delight” to apps and websites. The curriculum covers tools like Rive, Lottie (After Effects), and CSS animation.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Understand the 12 Principles of Animation applied to UI (Easing, Timing)
  2. Create lightweight, scalable animations using Lottie (Bodymovin) and Rive
  3. Design "Micro-interactions" that provide system feedback (Success/Error states)
  4. Master "State Machines" for interactive icons (Hover, Click, Toggle)
  5. Optimize animation assets for web and mobile performance (JSON/SVG)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Introduction to Micro-interactions: Function vs. Delight
  2. 02Motion Principles in UI: Easing & Duration
  3. 03The Loading State: Spinners & Skeleton Screens
  4. 04Button Interactions: Hover, Press, & Release
  5. 05Transitions: Navigation & Page Loads
  6. 06Feedback: Success Checks & Error Shakes
  7. 07Attention Guides: Tooltips & Notifications
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Lottie Files: After Effects to JSON
  10. 10Interactive Animation with Rive
  11. 11State Machines: Logic in Animation
  12. 12Icon Animation: Morphing Shapes
  13. 13Onboarding Screens: Storytelling in UI
  14. 14Accessibility: Motion Sensitivity settings
  15. 15Handoff: Preparing Assets for Developers
  16. 16Final Project: The Interactive App Prototype

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Interactive App Prototype

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Microinteractions: Designing with Details by Dan Saffer
  2. Animation at Work by Rachel Nabors
  3. Designing Interface Animation by Val Head
  4. Motion Design for iOS by Mike Rundle
  5. Rive / Lottie Documentation (Official Guides)
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