Which design principle enables users to directly interact by manipulating on-screen elements?

• A. Visibility
• B. Affordance
• C. Consistency
• D. Feedback

Answer: (A)

Direct interaction relies on affordances—the perceptual cues that show what actions are possible with an on-screen element. When a control looks draggable, resizable, or tappable, users intuitively know they can manipulate it directly, without extra instructions. This is why affordance is the best fit: it explains why certain elements invite immediate interaction by suggesting the possible operation right through their appearance.

Visibility helps users notice what can be interacted with, but it doesn’t by itself signal how to interact. Consistency makes interactions predictable across the interface, reducing learning, though it doesn’t directly indicate manipulation. Feedback focuses on the response after an action, confirming that something happened, rather than enabling the action itself. So the cue that best explains direct manipulation of on-screen elements is affordance, since it communicates the potential actions through the design itself.