Pattern 48
Playback cues are a reader preference
Separate timing granularity, visual style and automatic following.
Concrete takeaway
Offer background fill, underline or outline, a margin indicator, and no highlighting.
Choose an approach
These are editorial decision conditions to validate. Some alternatives are successive states or can be combined; they are not always exclusive choices.
| Alternative | Use when | Tradeoff or requirement |
|---|---|---|
| A · Background fill | A filled segment helps visual tracking | It can conflict with saved highlights |
| B · Underline or margin | A lighter underline, outline or margin cue helps | The cue must remain legible beyond colour |
| C · No visual highlighting | The person prefers no temporary styling | Keep playback identity visible elsewhere |
The problem
A precise playback position does not require a moving background fill. Some readers prefer an underline, a margin cue, or no visual cue at all.
The pattern
Offer background fill, underline or outline, a margin indicator, and no highlighting. Keep a labelled Now playing reference available when cues are off. Highlighting and Follow narration are independent settings: cues can be on without scrolling, and following can be on without a fill. Distinguish playback, saved annotations, search matches and temporary navigation targets using more than colour. Avoid announcing every spoken word to a screen reader. Respect reduced motion and text contrast.
Compare the alternatives
Separate timing granularity, visual style and automatic following.
A · Background fill
A temporary fill identifies playback; a saved annotation remains separate.
B · Underline or margin
A line or a margin marker avoids a large background fill.
C · No visual highlighting
Playback identity remains visible without changing Scripture styling.
Original wireframe proposals · No live controls · Grey rows represent schematic text, not loading states · Labelled placeholders are not Scripture quotations
Download this wireframe as SVGFailure modes
One switch silently disabling audio or following; flashing cues; colouring saved marks as playback; hiding the playback reference when highlighting is off.
What to validate
Test each style with personal highlights, search matches, dark mode, enlarged text and reduced motion. Can readers disable cues and still identify where audio is playing?
Research-informed design proposal. These visual alternatives have not been tested with users in this atlas. Source findings, documented behaviour and this proposed adaptation are different kinds of evidence.
Sources and adaptation
This card is an original design synthesis. The following sources inform its content distinctions, interaction approach or review requirements; they do not validate the whole pattern.
- EPUB Media OverlaysRelevant specification section reviewed · Not proof of a particular Bible app implementation.
- Understanding Use of ColorOfficial guidance reviewed on 5 October 2026 · Accessibility guidance supports cue design; it does not validate a particular faith-app layout.
Common scenarios and flows
- Listen, pause narration and repeat — Create a bounded listening-and-reflection session.
Design principles in this decision
Editorial application of Missional by Design. These values frame review questions; they do not validate a pattern’s effectiveness.
- Hospitality — Who can use this approach in their actual context, and what complete alternative exists for someone who cannot?
Compare alternatives using the task and evidence above. Record competing needs instead of treating a principle as an automatic verdict.