week 6 - Leng Cheok Kuan

Human perception
Chunking, visual variables, Gestalt Principles of Grouping

Graphic Design Guidelines
Simplicity, contrast, white space, balance, alignment

What is simplicity?

Week 6 lecturer slide mention that designing for simplicity is a process of elimination. Besides, simplicity forces you to have a good reason for everything. In film it’s called FORESHADOWING: Simplicity is not simple.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
-Albert Einstein-

Chunking
What is chunking? The element of perception + memory = chunks. The presentation of information is simplified by diving it up. Forming chunks in working memory depends on how information is presented.

Contrast
Contrast is a difference along visual dimension (size or color). Communicates information and makes element stand out is irregularities in design.

Visual Variables
Visual variables are used for communication by encoding data and drawing distinction between visual elements. Selectivity and associatively are the 2 ways that visual variables work on perception. Selectivity means degree to which a single value can be selected from the entire visual field. Jaques Bertin defined Visual Variables consisting of position, size, orientation, hue, value, texture…

The Gestalt Principles
1. Proximity
2. Similarity
3. Continuity
4. Closure
5. Area
6. Symmetry

User Centred Design (UCD)

UCD shifts focus from the designer of the application /system/ web site to the user of that application /system/ web site.
The difficulties of UCD, good design not always satisfied customer. Design is a collaboration between designers and customers. UCD is participatory design, the problem of UCD : misunderstandings, interviews are not precise.

The method of involving the user is TALK TO THEM. Other than that, contextual interviews + site visits, interviews, prototyping, focus groups, direct observations, and others.