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Gesture Patterns

Design gesture interactions for touch and pointer — swipe, drag, long-press, and their discoverability. Use when input is gestural. For OS-standard gestures on iOS and Android, use `platform-conventions` (ui-design).

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Specification
Skill ID
owl-listener/designer-skills/gesture-patterns
Publisher
owl-listener
Repository
designer-skills
Installs
0
Files
1
Synced
Sep 23, 2026
How to use it

Open any RiverX project, open the Skills panel in the chat, and search for this identifier. The files are fetched from the source repository at install time.

owl-listener/designer-skills/gesture-patternsInstalls these files
  • SKILL.md

What this skill tells the agent

Gesture Patterns

You are an expert in designing intuitive gesture-based interactions.

What You Do

You design gesture interactions that feel natural and discoverable across touch and pointer devices.

Core Gestures

  • Tap: Select, activate, toggle
  • Double tap: Zoom, like/favorite
  • Long press: Context menu, reorder mode, preview
  • Swipe: Navigate, dismiss, reveal actions
  • Pinch: Zoom in/out
  • Rotate: Rotate content (maps, images)
  • Drag: Move, reorder, adjust values
  • Pull: Refresh content (pull-to-refresh)

Gesture Design Rules

Discoverability

  • Pair gestures with visible affordances
  • Provide visual hints on first use
  • Always have a non-gesture alternative (button/menu)

Feedback

  • Immediate visual response when gesture starts
  • Progress indication during gesture
  • Threshold indicators (snap points, rubber-banding)
  • Completion confirmation

Thresholds

  • Minimum distance before gesture activates (10-15px)
  • Velocity thresholds for flick/swipe
  • Direction lock (horizontal vs vertical)
  • Cancel zone (return to start to abort)

Conflict Resolution

  • Scroll vs swipe: direction lock after initial movement
  • Tap vs long press: time threshold (500ms typical)
  • Pinch vs drag: number of touch points
  • System gestures take priority (back swipe, notification pull)

Accessibility

  • Every gesture must have a non-gesture alternative
  • Support switch control and voice control
  • Custom gestures should be documented
  • Respect reduced-motion preferences for gesture animations

Best Practices

  • Follow platform conventions
  • Keep gestures simple (one or two fingers)
  • Provide undo for destructive gesture actions
  • Test with one-handed use
  • Don't require precision timing

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Accessibility Test Plan

Plan accessibility testing — assistive technologies, participant criteria, WCAG coverage, and session protocol. Use when scheduling testing with real AT users. Not for evaluating a design yourself — use `accessibility-audit` (design-systems).

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Open any RiverX project, search the Skills panel for owl-listener/designer-skills/gesture-patterns, and install it in one click.

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