Interactives

Interactives are content or environments that require user input to reveal information, change state, or influence outcomes. They place emphasis on active participation rather than passive consumption and commonly employ feedback loops that adapt to user actions. Interactives can be digital, physical, or mixed-media experiences.

Types and forms include interactive graphics and data visualizations, interactive maps, dashboards, and web widgets; interactive literary or documentary pieces that allow branching narratives; educational simulations and tutorials; video games and gamified experiences; and public-interactive installations in museums or events. Journalism and data storytelling often use interactives to let readers explore statistics or scenarios.

Technologies used to create interactives include web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as software frameworks and game engines. Physical interactives may rely on sensors, controllers, projectors, and microcontrollers. Advances in augmented and virtual reality expand opportunities for immersive interactives, while mobile devices enable location-based or on-the-go experiences.

Interacts are designed to support learning, exploration, decision-making, or entertainment. They appear across media industries, education, public spaces, and product design, and they can be deployed online, in museums, classrooms, or retail environments. Design considerations include usability, performance, accessibility for users with disabilities, and ethical concerns such as data collection and user consent. Evaluating interactives often centers on how effectively the interface communicates options, how clearly outcomes emerge from choices, and how well the experience scales across devices and bandwidth conditions.