A small icon can look tidy while being difficult to tap accurately. The usable area around the control and its distance from neighboring actions affect the experience on a touch screen.
Consider the complete target, including the space that responds to a tap. A frequently used action deserves room, and adjacent controls should not make an accidental choice easy. Check the arrangement with actual fingers on a narrow screen.
Keep other input methods in view too. The same control should have a clear label and a visible keyboard focus. A comfortable target supports ordinary variation in how someone holds, views, and interacts with the device.
An example to consider.
Imagine two adjacent controls for keeping and removing an item. Space between their targets helps distinguish the choices during an imprecise tap.
Put it in perspective.
Consistency is valuable where it carries learned meaning. Keep familiar behavior dependable while allowing different tasks to have the structure they need.
- Check the actual interactive area.
- Leave space between adjacent actions.
- Try touch and keyboard interaction.
Follow a related question
Describe a scene at two scales.
Changing the scale of a questionRecord the support behind the pilot.
From a pilot to an ordinary dayKeep learning
Related background to continue exploring this subject.
W3C: web accessibility W3C: accessible image tutorials
