Glitches, Flashes, and Too Much Sass: The Animation Trap.

🎬 Shiny?

Animations are shiny. They’re pretty. They move.
And yes, they can make your eLearning come alive when used with intention.

We’re taught to use motion to keep learners engaged, to add excitement, and to make things “pop.” So, naturally, I go all in. Animated text, transitions, pop-ups, pulsing buttons, and every sentence sliding in from the left like it’s auditioning for Broadway.

But here’s the real question:👉 Is the learner actually… learning?

⚡ When “Pretty” Becomes Problematic

I love effects. I add them to my AI videos in CapCut and Camtasia all the time. Recently, I finished a sleek 1-minute-30-second video and proudly showed it to my partner. His feedback?

“Ask yourself… why do you have that flash at the end?”

My answer? “Because it’s shiny and pretty!”
But that moment hit me. I was designing for flash, not for focus.

When we over-animate, over-effect, and over-transition, the message gets lost in the movement. The learning becomes noise. The screen never sits still long enough for the brain to process the information.

🎯 Design with Intention

Animation should support the message, not compete with it.
Before you add that retro glitch or flying text, ask yourself:

• Does this motion help the learner focus or distract them?

• Is the content “still” enough to process?

• What’s the purpose of this effect: clarity or decoration?

If the answer is “just because it’s cool,” it’s probably too much.

Sometimes, the most powerful moment in learning design is the pause, the space that lets something sink in.

✨ Moral of the story: Be intentional. Design with purpose.
And if it’s just shiny for shiny’s sake… go ahead and delete that glitch.