interactivité

Interactivité is the French term for interactivity, referring to the degree to which a system supports active participation and reciprocal communication between users and the system, object, or environment. It is a central concept in computing, digital media, education, and the arts.

Key components include user agency (the ability to influence outcomes), feedback (immediate or meaningful responses to actions), and adaptivity (the system adjusting to user input or context). Interactivity can be direct, such as clicking or touching controls, or indirect, such as recommendations or adaptive content that changes based on user behavior.

Interactivity is not synonymous with engagement or immersion; it is the mechanism that enables interaction, while engagement depends on design, content, and context.

Applications include interactive websites, software, games, simulations, data visualizations, multimedia exhibits, and interactive installations.

Design and evaluation emphasize clear affordances, responsive feedback, consistent behavior, and accessibility. Metrics include degree of control, latency, completion rate, user satisfaction, and learning outcomes. Methods include usability testing, analytics, A/B testing, and user interviews.

In education and culture, interactivité supports active learning and participatory culture; in the arts, interactive installations invite spectators to influence the work.