The Midas Touch effect: the most unknown phenomenon in UX design

Years ago, I was studying interaction techniques for my Specialization in Interaction Design and I came across a piece of advice: while designing my prototype of a gestural interaction I had to make sure to avoid The Midas Touch problem.

I’ve always been fascinated by Latin and Greek myths, so when I came across the reference to King Midas, this name chimed quite heavy with me. King Midas is popular because Dionysus granted him whatever he would ask for as a reward for his hospitality. Midas asked that everything he touched would turn into gold. His wish was fulfilled, but, soon, he realized that he couldn’t touch food or drink and even his daughter without turning them into gold.

What’s the connection between Midas golden touch power and UX design, then?

The Midas Touch effect in UX design is something to make sure to avoid when designing an input interface, especially when they are based on gestures that can be easily performed with no intention. It’s a problem related to UI when we interact with a physical device and some commands are accidentally activated, but it can also be…