Target Selection

The fundamental interaction task of moving a cursor or pointer to a specific location on screen and confirming selection, such as clicking a button or link. Target selection difficulty is affected by target size, distance to target, and user motor abilities—relationships described by Fitts' Law. For people with motor disabilities or age-related motor decline, small targets present significant accessibility barriers, as they require fine motor control that may be impaired. Interface techniques like area cursors, sticky icons, and magnification can reduce target selection difficulty.