Form + Fidget is a digital playground designed purely for joy

From the mind of motion design and animation studio Noodle, Form + Fidget is an experimental digital fidget playground created as an excuse to explore Rive – an interactive digital tool. “We were curious about how far we could push interactivity beyond traditional motion design,” creative director of the Chicago-based studio, Doug Alberts, says. “I remember asking my wife to test one of our early experiments and her face lit up with a genuine ‘wow,’” he continues. Following such a positive reaction, Doug continued developing – and experimenting – with what became Form + Fidget, excited by its point of difference compared to standard scroll-and-swipe interactivity as an satisfying instrument that intuitively responds to clicks and taps.“It was like we had tapped into a new kind of storytelling,” he says, “one where people don’t just watch, they play.”

Playfulness and intuition are fundamental to Form + Fidget, both in terms of its development and engagement. In developing a series of “bite-sized interactive moments”, the tool becomes a digital playground with the not-too-serious intention of having a nice time. “A little moment of joy, honestly,” Doug says, answering what he’d like people to take from interacting with the project. “We’re so used to interacting with screens in functional ways like scrolling, tapping, and closing pop-ups,” he continues, “but Form + Fidget is just... for fun, no instructions, no goal, just a chance to mess around.” It’s a refreshing tool, especially when so many digital experiences designed for joy end up being monetised. “It’s like a digital exhale,” Doug adds, “with low stakes, and high charm.”

The design influences behind Form + Fidget are equally charming, with shapes, colours and forms inspired by childhood objects, such as clay, stress balls and fidget tools. “There’s something primal and joyful about being able to poke and stretch and squeeze something just to see what it does,” Doug says. The team wanted interacting with the tool to be intuitive rather than prescriptive. “Because of this, we decided to go with simple geometric shapes with a classic circular typeface,” he continues. In terms of colour, the team experimented with more vibrant colours early on, before introducing more muted tones further down the line. “It’s kind of an unexpected colour combination,” Doug suggests, “like when you dig through a toy bin.”

As a whole, Form + Fidget is indicative of the Noodle’s practice and creative philosophy – creating work that balances delight with curiosity. “We love blending polish with play,” Doug says, “we feel that Form + Fidget is a perfect example of that.” It embodies the significance of emotional design and surprise within its work. “I’ve been pushing for us to continue to explore beyond our traditional means of 2D/3D blend,” Doug ends, “this project feels like it extends our range into interactive while keeping the charm of our style.”