In my continued reading of Animated Storytelling, this week, what stood out most to me was how animation becomes intentional design rather than decorative movement. The chapter reinforced that timing has so much meaning. The way something enters, exits, eases, or pauses completely shifts how it’s perceived.

As part of my Internship capstone, I collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to conduct a competitive analysis and strategic audit of Tarte’s Shape Tape, one of the most iconic products in the beauty industry.

Have you ever bought something online without thinking, only to question your decision a few minutes later? If so, you’re not alone.

Picture this: you’re scrolling through Instagram and spot a product that catches your eye. One tap leads to the brand’s site, another tap adds it to your cart, and before you know it, you’ve just made an impulse purchase, for something you don’t need, during your lunch break. That seamless flow from seeing to buying isn’t random. It’s behavioral design in action.

In today’s digital landscape, visuals and trendy interfaces often take center stage online, but effective UX/UI design demands much more than an aesthetic appeal.