Method for the relative activation of a luminaire in which, at the beginning of the activation process, an absolute control value for a control variable of the luminaire which the luminaire should assume at the end of the activation process is still unknown, wherein an actuation of an actuating element, in particular of a pushbutton, is detected, and during the actuation of the actuating element, the following steps are carried out cyclically: determining a target control value (P_1, P_2) for an operating device of the luminaire, wherein the target control value (P_1, P_2) is a target control value (P_1, P_2) for the control variable of the luminaire, wherein the target control value (P_1, P_2) is associated with one of a plurality of chronologically separate support points (61, 62) which are sequentially approached by the operating device during the actuation, generating a control command (31-35; 71, 72) as a function of the target control value (P_1, P_2), wherein the target control value (P_1, P_2) is specified in the control command (31-35; 71, 72), and outputting the control command (31-35; 71, 72) to the operating device of the luminaire so that the operating device approaches a support point (61, 62) associated with the target control value (P_1, P_2) continuously or in a plurality of steps, with a predetermined fading time, wherein, if actuation of the actuating element continues after the output of a control command (31; 71) of the cyclically output control commands (31-35; 71, 72), a predetermined duration (39; 68) elapses before a further control command (32; 72) of the cyclically output control commands (31-35; 71, 72) is output in order to approach a further support point which is associated with a further target control value (P_2) of the cyclically determined target control values (P_1, P_2), wherein, in response to an end of the actuation of the actuating element, a stop command (36; 74) is generated and output in order to end the approach to the support point which is associated with a target control value lastly determined before the end of the actuation, wherein the method is characterized in that: the control command (31-35; 71, 72) is transmitted as a digital data communication via a bus to which further operating devices are connected, and in response to the end of the actuation of the actuating element, a final control value is determined, and a correction control command is generated as a function of the final control value and output to the operating device. determining a target control value (P_1, P_2) for an operating device of the luminaire, wherein the target control value (P_1, P_2) is a target control value (P_1, P_2) for the control variable of the luminaire, wherein the target control value (P_1, P_2) is associated with one of a plurality of chronologically separate support points (61, 62) which are sequentially approached by the operating device during the actuation, generating a control command (31-35; 71, 72) as a function of the target control value (P_1, P_2), wherein the target control value (P_1, P_2) is specified in the control command (31-35; 71, 72), and outputting the control command (31-35; 71, 72) to the operating device of the luminaire so that the operating device approaches a support point (61, 62) associated with the target control value (P_1, P_2) continuously or in a plurality of steps, with a predetermined fading time, wherein, if actuation of the actuating element continues after the output of a control command (31; 71) of the cyclically output control commands (31-35; 71, 72), a predetermined duration (39; 68) elapses before a further control command (32; 72) of the cyclically output control commands (31-35; 71, 72) is output in order to approach a further support point which is associated with a further target control value (P_2) of the cyclically determined target control values (P_1, P_2), wherein, in response to an end of the actuation of the actuating element, a stop command (36; 74) is generated and output in order to end the approach to the support point which is associated with a target control value lastly determined before the end of the actuation, wherein the method is characterized in that: the control command (31-35; 71, 72) is transmitted as a digital data communication via a bus to which further operating devices are connected, and in response to the end of the actuation of the actuating element, a final control value is determined, and a correction control command is generated as a function of the final control value and output to the operating device. the control command (31-35; 71, 72) is transmitted as a digital data communication via a bus to which further operating devices are connected, and in response to the end of the actuation of the actuating element, a final control value is determined, and a correction control command is generated as a function of the final control value and output to the operating device.