COG Digital developers stick to three facets of touch targets when designing touch interfaces as below.
Designing Visual Targets
The link text, icon, or other graphic element that affords an interaction is a visual target. Visual targets need to be big and clear enough so it attracts the user’s eye in navigation and that they understand that they ‘re actionable elements. The user needs to be confident what action it will perform when touched and that they can easily tap the target.
Designing Touch Targets
An area on screen that a user can touch to perform an action – this is a touch target. Touching a device’s screen outside a touch target should not activate the target.
Preventing Interference Errors
Ideally we make sure a touch target is the right size to ensure a user can tap it, and when a user fails to touch a target accurately it results in a miss and the target doesn’t activate. The result of a failed miss touch target is a key factor to consider and planning for error is crucial.