Assigning z-order to user interface elements

A computing device, comprising:

• a multi-touch display;
• a processor;
• and
• memory comprising instructions executable by the processor to:
• display on the display a plurality of user interface elements;
• detect a change in an interaction state of a selected user interface element, the interaction state being defined by a type of interaction a user makes with the selected user interface element at an instant in time;
• if the change in the interaction state is an initiation of a movement of the selected user interface element on the display, then move the selected user interface element to a first predetermined position within a z-ordering of the plurality of user interface elements;
• if the change is an initiation of a user interaction with content contained within the selected user interface element, then move the selected user interface element to a second predetermined position within the z-ordering that is farther from a top z-order position than the first predetermined position;
• and
• if the change is a cessation of a user interaction with the selected user interface element, then move the selected user interface element to a third predetermined position that is farther from the top z-order position than the first predetermined position and the second predetermined position.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computing device to display a graphical user interface on a computing device display and to perform a method of directing user inputs from an indirect user input device to a selected user interface element of a plurality of user interface elements displayed on the graphical user interface based on an interaction state of the selected user interface element with a user of the computing device, the method comprising:

• detecting an initiation of a user interaction with content contained within the user interface element;
• moving the user interface element to a predetermined position within a z-ordering;
• if the user interaction is selection of a focus-assigning user interface control within the selected user interface element, then directing inputs from the indirect user input device to the selected user interface element;
• and
• if the user interaction is not selection of the focus-assigning user interface control within the selected user interface element, then not directing inputs from the indirect user input device to the selected user interface element.