Button State Design Patterns
About This MicroSim
This MicroSim demonstrates the visual design patterns for interactive buttons across different types and states.
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Description
The Button States diagram shows a grid of four button types across four visual states:
Button Types (Rows)
- Primary - Main action buttons with solid color fill
- Secondary - Alternative actions with outlined style
- Toggle - Play/Pause buttons that switch between states
- Destructive - Delete/Remove actions in red for warning
Visual States (Columns)
- Normal - Default resting state
- Hover - When mouse is over the button (darker, lift shadow)
- Active - When button is being clicked (pressed appearance)
- Disabled - When action is unavailable (grayed out)
Interactive Features
- Hover over any button to see a description of that state
- Toggle "Show Focus States" to see accessibility focus rings
- Click buttons to see the active state
Learning Objectives
After using this MicroSim, students will be able to:
- Identify the four common button states in user interfaces
- Recognize visual cues that indicate button interactivity
- Apply appropriate button styling in their own MicroSim designs
Lesson Plan
Introduction (3 minutes)
- Ask: "How do you know if something on a screen is clickable?"
- Discuss visual affordances and feedback
Exploration (7 minutes)
- Examine each button type and its purpose
- Hover over buttons to see state transitions
- Enable focus states to discuss accessibility
Discussion (5 minutes)
- Why use different colors for destructive actions?
- What makes the toggle button different from others?
- Why is the disabled state important?
Application (10 minutes)
- Have students identify button states in their favorite apps
- Design a button set for a specific MicroSim use case