activents

An activent is a discrete trigger event designed to initiate a sequence of actions within an interactive system. Used in software design, digital media, and interactive installations, activents coordinate user experiences by binding inputs or states to subsequent operations.

The term is a neologism formed from activate and event. In practice, activents are modeled as nodes in a trigger graph: when the triggering condition is met, the system launches a predefined chain of operations, possibly modifying later triggers, data, or user interface elements.

Characteristics include modularity, reuse, and traceability. An activent can be user-initiated (for example, clicking a button that starts a tutorial) or system-initiated (such as a rule that activates a reminder after inactivity). They may be time-based or data-driven, and are often recorded for analytics.

Applications span onboarding sequences, feature tutorials, contextual help, adaptive interfaces, and game design. In marketing technology, activents can drive automated campaigns by triggering messages when specific user actions occur.

Measurement focuses on activation rate, latency, sequence completion, and the correlation of activents with retention or conversion. Design aims to minimize friction and ensure predictable, explainable chains of behavior.

Related concepts include event-driven programming and activation analytics.