quickaction

Quickaction is a term used in user interface design to describe a mechanism that provides users with rapid access to a small set of actions relevant to a given context or item. Quickactions are typically lightweight and space-efficient, intended to reduce navigation steps by surfacing only the most common tasks for a target object. They are commonly presented as a popover, contextual menu, small toolbar, or a surface anchored to a specific element, and can be invoked by a long-press, hover, or direct tap.

Patterns and scope: Quickactions cover a range of interaction patterns, including contextual menus, action sheets, bubble menus, and compact toolbars. The defining characteristic is proximity to the target and a focus on a concise, task-focused set of options rather than a full menu.

Platform usage: On mobile platforms, quickactions are often used to expose actions related to a list item or media, appearing near the touched item or within an app icon. Desktop interfaces may implement quickactions through context menus or popovers that appear on right-click or hover. Some design ecosystems encourage quickaction-like affordances as part of broader action button or toolbar strategies.

Design considerations: Effective quickactions should be discoverable and accessible, with clear labels or intuitive icons, and should align with platform conventions. They should be limited in number, ordered by relevance, and designed to degrade gracefully for assistive technologies and smaller screens.

See also: Context menu; action sheet; overflow menu; toolbar; floating action button.