A method for operating an operating system which generates and displays a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface includes a first representation with a front side representation of a planar graphical object. An operating action for the graphical object is detected and a transition animation is generated and displayed. Following the transition animation, a second representation with a rear side representation of the graphical object is displayed, the transition animation includes a rotation, shown in perspective, of the graphical object about an axis, and the rear side representation of the graphical object assuming a smaller area than the front side representation. The second representation also includes an information region, and the representation of the graphical object is made smaller during the transition animation. Also disclosed is an operating system having a control unit, a display surface, and a detection unit.