Short answer
Interaction design defines how people move through and control an experience to complete intended tasks. It covers task flow, controls, states, feedback, and recovery rather than the visual treatment of the interface.
About Interaction design
Defines how people move through and control an experience to complete intended tasks. The competency covers sequence, system response, feedback, error prevention, and recovery across relevant states.
Use this competency for
- Roles accountable for task flows, controls, states, and system feedback.
- Roles that specify how an interface behaves during normal and exceptional use.
Do not use this competency for
- Roles that apply approved interaction patterns without deciding task flow or system behavior.
Important distinctions
Visual design
Interaction design defines behavior, sequence, and response. Visual design uses composition, type, color, and hierarchy to make the interface clear.
Information architecture
Interaction design defines how a task unfolds. Information architecture organizes and labels content so people can understand and find it.
Expectations by level
IC1
Individual contributor 1
Designs a defined flow with guidance, uses established patterns, documents normal and error states, and checks that each control produces an understandable response.
Observable behaviors
- Maps the steps, decisions, and outcomes in a bounded task.
- Specifies loading, empty, success, and error states for assigned screens.
- Uses an established interaction pattern and records any required variation.
Examples
- For a password update, shows validation, submission progress, success, and a recoverable failure.
- Maps the decisions in a short approval flow before drawing detailed screens.
IC2
Individual contributor 2
Independently designs multi-step interactions for a product area, resolves competing task needs, validates behavior with evidence, and gives implementation-ready specifications for edge cases.
Observable behaviors
- Compares flow alternatives against task goals and known constraints.
- Defines how the experience preserves context when people pause, return, or make an error.
- Reviews implemented behavior and identifies departures that change task outcomes.
Examples
- Redesigns a multi-step form so saved progress, validation, and return paths are explicit.
- During implementation review, catches a disabled action that gives no reason or recovery path.
IC3
Individual contributor 3
Leads interaction models across connected product areas, resolves ambiguous behavior that affects multiple teams, and establishes reusable decisions for complex states and transitions.
Observable behaviors
- Defines a shared interaction model for tasks that span multiple product surfaces.
- Facilitates decisions when technical constraints and user task needs conflict.
- Documents reusable behavior patterns with conditions, exceptions, and evidence.
Examples
- Aligns three teams on one model for draft, submitted, approved, and reopened work.
- Creates guidance for long-running actions that covers status, cancellation, failure, and retry.