Welcome to Beyond the Brief, where we venture into the world of creativity in brand and digital product design.
In this series we chat to creators across various disciplines, seeking inspiration from their passion and processes. Brave ideas from photographers to musicians, writers to animators.
John Jattoh
Motion Designer
We caught up with John, a UK based motion designer who creates awesome online experiences for start-ups and some of the world’s most iconic brands.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a product designer that specialises in motion design. I integrate product design principles with dynamic, interactive elements to enhance user experiences and effectively communicate narratives through animation.
My journey into motion design started back in the day with Macromedia Flash – a powerful animation software used for making great websites. At this point I was also doing a lot of GSAP – code based amination and high-end 3D work.
Over the last decade I’ve been contracted to work on some really cool projects for some great companies such as Samsung, AKQA and Wunderman.
Why do you think motion is so important in digital products?
Motion plays a crucial role in shaping the user experience. It goes beyond mere aesthetics. It can enhance narrative storytelling and elicit emotional responses. It’s a known fact that dynamic graphics effectively capture and retain user attention better than static images, boosting engagement levels.
“Animated elements help to reinforce brand identity and drive recognition. Take Netflix as an example.”
— John Jattoh, Motion Designer
What do you mean when you talk about motion in a UI context?
When we talk about motion, we’re referring to the dynamic elements which can be broadly categorised into three types.
Functional motion describes interactive features like drag-and-drop elements, click & hover states, and gesture patterns, facilitating user interaction.
Structural motion involves transitions of elements on and off the screen, Parallax effects, the use of modal windows, dropdowns, and tooltips, guiding users through the interface’s structure.
Lastly, emotional motion adds personality to the UI through moments of delight, character illustrations, and indicators of success or failure states, fostering a deeper connection with users.
What would you say makes good motion design?
There are 6 principles of good motion
1. Fluidity & Timing – Using appropriate curves and timings to bring the animation to life
2. Purposeful Animations – Every key element contributes to storytelling
3. Seamless Transitions – Enhancing user experience
4. Performance Optimisation – For smooth transitions between devices
5. Visual Hierarchy & Focus – Guiding attention with motion
6. Clarity & Communication – Clear message delivery
Choosing the right curve and ease type in motion design is super important because it directly affects how things move on the screen.
It’s all about finding that sweet spot where animations feel natural and smooth, without being too slow or too abrupt.
“Good motion design flows seamlessly, enhancing the user experience, while bad design feels disjointed, distracting, and confusing.”
— John Jattoh, Motion Designer
When is a good time to start thinking about motion if you are working on a digital project?
You’ll want to start thinking about how to incorporate motion right from the start, ideally after the discovery phase. Think about the elements that you can bring to life to communicate better with your audience.
By thinking about this from the get-go, you can build it into the overall effort.
Motion shouldn’t be left as an afterthought as it makes it harder for the design and dev team to retrospectively make adjustments.
What percentage of any digital product should be motion design?
Oh that really depends on the brief and the objective. For example, a corporate website is going to have much less call for bouncy animation than an entertainment app.
So it really depends on the context, but I would say it would always be a good idea to think about how motion could enhance the user experience, even in the most subtle ways.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Everywhere really, there are some great designs out there! I’ll often check out Dribble and scan through YouTube for some ideas.
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