gesture-alternatives
Gesture Alternatives
Every gesture-based interaction must have a simpler alternative. Gestures that require specific physical movements exclude people with motor disabilities, limb differences, tremors, or limited range of motion.
Core Principle
Gestures are shortcuts, not gatekeepers. The feature they activate must always be reachable another way.
Gesture Types and Required Alternatives
Path-Based Gestures (swipe, draw, drag)
These require tracing a specific path. Many users cannot perform them.
- Swipe to delete → visible delete button
- Swipe to navigate → previous/next buttons
- Draw a shape → select from a menu of shapes
- Drag to reorder → move up/down buttons or numbered input
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