Motion Syntax

Good motion isn't arbitrary. It's a language with rules.

Verbs and adjectives

A motion system has two parts:

• Verbs. The actions. enter, exit, focus, expand, collapse, alert. Each one has a defined curve, duration, and direction.
• Adjectives. The brand-specific qualities. sharp, fluid, gentle, rebound. They modify the verbs.

An enter might always be sharp and upward. An exit might always be gentle and fading. The combinations are the grammar.

Why this matters

Codified rules scale. Designers, developers, agents can all apply motion the same way without reinventing it on every component. Motion stops being decoration and becomes a layer of communication — it directs attention, expresses personality, signals state.

Stop decorating. Start choreographing.