Motion, Animation and Vestibular Disorders
Animation can make a site feel polished, but large or unexpected movement can cause real harm. For people with vestibular disorders, sweeping parallax effects and spinning transitions can trigger dizziness, nausea and migraines.
The goal is not to ban animation, but to use it thoughtfully and to respect people who have told their device they prefer less of it.
Respecting User Preferences
Operating systems offer a 'reduce motion' setting. Modern sites can detect this and tone down or remove non-essential animation automatically.
Sensible Animation Habits
A few simple guidelines keep motion pleasant rather than punishing, and they rarely require sacrificing the polish that good animation brings to a brand.
- Keep movement small, smooth and brief.
- Avoid large background motion behind text.
- Never use flashing that could trigger seizures.
- Always offer a way to pause or stop motion.
Why It Is a Genuine Safety Issue
For some people this is not about preference but about health. Vestibular conditions affect balance, and large-scale motion on screen can leave a sufferer unwell for hours. Treating motion as something to use sparingly, and always honouring the system 'reduce motion' setting, protects those users while keeping the experience smooth for everyone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we still have a lively, animated site?
Yes. We can keep tasteful motion and simply provide a calmer version for anyone who has asked their device to reduce motion.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.