Split Button Interaction
A compact action that expands into contextual project choices without opening a separate menu.
- Category
- Interaction
- Year
- 2026
- Status
- Experiment
What it is
One action, followed by a focused choice.
The control begins as a single “New Project” action. Activating it transforms the same area into a small set of project categories, keeping the next decision close to the action that introduced it.
This pattern works when an action has a few closely related paths and each choice can be expressed with a short, recognisable label. For longer lists or choices that need explanation, a menu or dialog would be easier to scan.
Design decisions
How the control preserves context while changing state.
Expansion in place
The choices appear where the original action lived, preserving the spatial relationship between the trigger and its possible outcomes.
Ordered transitions
The original label exits before the category choices enter. On close, the button waits for those choices to leave before returning, avoiding overlapping labels and abrupt layout changes.
Shared motion
A consistent spring and layout animation make the control feel like one object changing configuration rather than unrelated buttons appearing.
Reversible choice
A dedicated back action restores the initial state, while selecting a category completes the short flow and closes the expanded control.
Continue exploring
Another study in spatial continuity.