Watch Wearable Design
Wearable Design Principles
- Glanceable. Information must be understood in 2 seconds.
- Minimal interaction. Tap, swipe, crown/dial. No complex gestures.
- Brief. Content is measured in words, not paragraphs.
- Timely. Show information relevant to right now.
Screen Patterns
- Complication: 1-3 data points on watch face.
- Short look: Notification preview (app icon + title + brief text).
- Long look: Full notification with action buttons.
- App view: Scrollable list or paged content.
Design Constraints
- Screen: ~40mm circle or rounded square.
- Touch targets: minimum 38x38pt.
- Content width: ~170px.
- Interaction: digital crown, side button, touch, raise-to-wake.
- Sessions: 5-10 seconds average.
Typography
- SF Compact (Apple Watch), Roboto (Wear OS).
- Minimum 16pt.
- 2-3 lines of text maximum per screen.