Interaction Design Using Physical Properties

Abstract

In product design, controlling surface texture through the three CMF (Color, Material, Finish) elements is emphasized as a method for achieving differentiation and enhancing sensory value. Similarly, in GUI design, there is a movement to visually reproduce material qualities, such as the effect produced using glassmorphism, while striving to balance aesthetics and legibility. However, most efforts remain limited to reproducing "appearance," with insufficient exploration of expressions rooted in the physical properties inherent to real-world materials—such as weight, friction, and hardness/softness. Movements and reactions based on physical properties are intuitively understandable, which makes it easier to connect state changes and cause-and-effect relationships to bodily sensations. Therefore, this research explored the potential of interaction expressions based on physical properties. A card-sorting task was conducted with 30 students using 30 material cards (displaying material names and photos) and 9 touch-interaction cards. The participants selected materials matching each interaction and provided reasons for their choices. Beyond tallying selection rates, reasons were labeled based on prior research to compare differences across interactions. The results indicate that frequently referenced material properties varied by interaction, with the input temporal structure and motion characteristics likely being the primary switching factors. For instant inputs, such as taps, immediate responsiveness and deformation were emphasized, whereas for sustained inputs, such as long taps, holding, and state changes over time were referenced. For continuous movement actions such as dragging, swiping, and scrolling, roughness and friction were associated as control cues. For two-point operations such as pinching and stretching, continuum deformation and tension were evoked. For rotation, changes in friction resistance were relatively important.

Keywords: CMF, Interaction Design, GUI Design, Physical Properties

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007750