Awareness Indicator Design
Purpose of the Indicator#
The indicator gives the user a quick sense of environmental clarity without requiring interpretation or interaction. It serves as:
- A passive signal of local and global stability.
- A consistent visual anchor across iOS and Android.
- A bridge between the Awareness model and the user interface.
- A foundation for future RTT‑Inside visualizations.
The indicator never flashes, animates aggressively, or conveys urgency.
Visual Language#
The indicator uses a small set of visual primitives:
- Color — communicates clarity or drift.
- Shape — remains constant to avoid cognitive load.
- Motion — used sparingly to indicate instability.
- Opacity — reflects confidence in the current state.
The design avoids icons, text, or metaphors that imply diagnostics or warnings.
State Representations#
Each Awareness state maps to a distinct visual expression:
- Clear — stable color, no motion, full opacity.
- Local Drift — subtle motion or shimmer, warm color shift.
- Global Drift — cooler color shift with reduced opacity.
- Drift — combined color shift with gentle, slow motion.
All transitions are smooth and gradual to avoid drawing attention.
Placement and Behavior#
The indicator appears in a consistent location within the app:
- Always visible on the main screen.
- Present but unobtrusive in secondary screens.
- Never overlays content or blocks interaction.
- Scales appropriately across device sizes.
The indicator does not require user interaction and does not open menus.
Accessibility Considerations#
The design supports accessibility without requiring system permissions:
- Sufficient contrast in all states.
- Motion kept minimal to avoid discomfort.
- Color is not the sole indicator; opacity and motion reinforce meaning.
- Screen readers describe the current state using simple labels.
These considerations ensure the indicator remains inclusive and predictable.
Update Behavior#
The indicator updates only when the Awareness state changes:
- No rapid oscillation.
- No intermediate or transitional states.
- No animation loops triggered by network retries.
This behavior reflects the stability guarantees of the Awareness model.
Future Extensions#
The indicator design leaves room for future enhancements:
- Optional expanded views for RTT‑Inside users.
- Additional states or metadata in later versions.
- Cross‑device continuity for multi‑platform Awareness.
These extensions will not alter the core v1 behavior.