UNIT 4

Unit 4 - Design and Perception: How can I influence the way a design is perceived?

1. Gestalt Principles of Perception

a)   Similarity

Elements that are similar are perceived to be more related than elements that are dissimilar

b)   Common Fate

Elements that move in the same direction are perceived to be more related than elements that move in different directions or are stationary. 

For example: DK, CTF 1 chair

The arrangement of the chair is in a same direction.

c)   Figure/Ground

Elements are perceived as either figures (objects of focus) or ground (the rest of the perceptual field).

d)   Continuation

Elements arranged in a straight line or a smooth curve are perceived as a group, and are interpreted as being more related than elements not on the line or curve.

For example: Zip

e)    Symmetry

A property of visual equivalence among elements in a form. The picture below is the example of symmetry. The line at the middle separate the picture into two part which are left and right. But, the shape of left and right part is same but reflect.

f)   Closure

A tendency to perceive a set of individual elements as a single, recognizable pattern, rather than multiple, individual elements.

2. Orientation Sensitivity

The oblique effect is the ability to see more accurate when the line is horizontal or vertical better than the line are oblique.

a) Oblique Effect

The line orientation is more accurately and easily perceived if they are close to being vertical or horizontal lines.

The image of the clock on the left is easily read because numbers are separated by 30 degrees rather than the clock on the right where numbers are only separated by 15 degrees.

b) Pop Out Effect

The certain element that is different than the other, so we can quickly and easily to detected.

3. Consistency

Consistency is one of the basic principles that must be used when designing something. Object are easier to be used and learned when it is design using similar concepts and the way to be expresses are also in similar ways. There are four types of consistency that are always be used in design which are aesthetic, functional, internal and external.

Aesthetic consistency is the consistency of style and the appearance of the design. The style and the appearance is repeated in order to helps and enhance recognition, communication and sets emotional expectation. Aesthetic consistency builds a unique identity and makes it recognisable by the users once they see the design.

Functional consistency: traffic light

4. Proximity

Proximity is a concept where objects or items that are near each other are seen as a unit. The proximity concept is simple and it’s something that we can see in design every day. Proximity is really concerned with where items or objects are placed. Related information is usually placed closely together and formed a visual unit. In general, proximity concept is about organize information and group something in commons and separate which are don’t.

5. Threat Detection

*The ability to detect threatening stimuli is more quickly than non-threatening stimuli. 

- The design or things that are more attract than the other similar design.

- People will tend to detect the design or things that are threatening first faster than      non-threatening objects. 

Above is a poster are place beside the road. The main purpose people place this poster is to attract car driver to be careful when driving the car, so that the number of accident on the road can be reduce in future.

6. Interference Effects

Interference effect occurs when two or more cognitive process is in conflict with each other. Mental processes that compete with each other become slower and less accurate. A classic example is the Stroop Effect where the words of the color they represent and the colour of the word are conflicting with each other. The right part of the brain tries to read the color of the font but the left brain tends to read the word.

A classic example is the Stroop Effect where the words of the colour they represent and the colour of the word are conflicting with each other. The right part of the brain tries to read the colour of the font but the left brain tends to read the word.

Main Reference

Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J., (2003). Universal principles of design: a cross-displinary reference. Massachusetts: Rockport Publisher.

UNIT 8

Unit 8 – Design Decisions: How can I make better design decisions?

1. Factor of Safety

Factor of safety is also the aspect in design decision. To fulfill the needs in choosing and making a decision, safety is the most important aspect that we need to consider. Paper is a material that can easily be damaged if exposed to water. So it can be conclude that the safety aspect of the paper is less. 

Thus, to overcome the problem, the designer need to find one of the product to cover the paper so it does not damaged if exposed to the water. File is a good example of the product to overcome the problem. Paper can be put into the file so the paper does not damage if exposed to the water because file is covering the surface of the paper. 

2. Redundancy

Redundancy is define as the state of being not or no longer needed or useful. There are 4 types of redundancy which is diverse, homogeneous, active and passive.

a) Diverse Redundancy

Diverse is one of the types of redundancy. Diverse redundancy is the use of multiple elements of different types. Diverse redundancy is resistant to a single cause of failure, but is complex to implement and maintain. For example, fan often have diverse redundancy in their uses. There are 3 press button but the function is still the same.

b) Homogenous Redundancy

Television is one of the examples for homogenous redundancy. Homogenous redundancy is relatively simple to implement and maintain but is susceptible to single causes of failure. Usually, television is used for watch cartoons and other TV program. Besides, television is also can be used for playing PS3 as a medium to play the game. For this example, if the television does not work properly, automatically the uses for TV (watch TV program and play PS3) will also fail to use.

c) Active & Passive Redundancy

Button is an active redundancy. Active redundancy means the product or the design will be use usually if the product is still in a good condition, Passive redundancy is the application of redundant element when only the active redundancy fail to use, so spare button is an example for passive redundancy.

3. Flexibility and Usability Tradeoff

When the flexibility of a system increases so the usability of the system will decrease. There are two products, which is product A and product B. These two products have the same function but different type of appearance. Product A is simple and easy to use, but product B is more complex and difficult to use. So, Product A has a low flexibility and high usability; But products B has high flexibility and low usability.

For example :

Remote control A is more usability than remote control B, because B has more button and function than A. But remote control B is more flexibility than remote control A. Although A has fewer buttons than B but all of button on that remote control has useful, however B has many buttons on it but most of the button is not useful.

4. Satisficing

It is often preferable to settle for a satisfactory solution, rather than pursue an optimal solution. When people are giving a task, they need to compare each of the idea or things to define the most suitable idea or things to complete the task.

For example :

When someone needs to buy a smartphone, they need to define the different between the each of the smartphone. They need to compare from cost, size, function, quality and others. After they compare each of the smartphone, they can buy a smartphone with maximum satisfaction.

5. Ockham's Razor

Given a choice between functionally equivalent designs, the simplest design should be selected. If there are 2 products, it has the same function and uses, but the different of each products are simple design and complex design. So people will choose the simple product but not the complex. It means simple design can also perform complex design.

For example:

Both of the kettle is use to boil the water but the kettle are using electrical is more simple than the kettle are using the gas. So, people will tend to use the kettle (use electrical) because it is simple and easy to use. But most of the people will not tend to use the kettle (use gas), because it is more complex and difficult to use also.

6. Form Follows Function

Beauty in design results from purity of function. It does not see for the design, environment, type and others things. It only sees the function of it. So the functionality is important than others.

No matter is analog or digital type. The function of these two watches is to know the time. It also does not care more about the size, shape, colour and others, because only the functionality is important (to know the time). 

Main Reference

Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J., (2003). Universal principles of design: a cross-displinary reference. Massachusetts: Rockport Publisher.

UNIT 7

Unit 7 – Design and Appeal: How can I increase the appeal of a design?

1. Aesthetic-Usability Effect

Usability effect is the most priority and the main focus in design. Aesthetic-usability refers to the some attributes of the product of the design process which is more to the appearance of products. It focus on the look of the product, material that been used and gives pleasure to the customer to buy the product. Basically, aesthetic-usability effect is not only about how well does the thing that you produce work, but it is also focus on how good is the look the product. The product that highly aesthetic-usability effect are more readily to be used and more acceptable over time by peoples.

There are 4 different type of aesthetics-usability effect.

A) Physio Pleasure: derived from senses such as touch, smell

B) Socio Pleasure: pleasure gained from interaction with other

C) Psycho Pleasure: from satisfaction of the product task

D) Ideo Pleasure: derived from entities

Usually people tend to buy a pretty things because people have set in their minds that pretty things must have good qualities and can work better even in reality there are not good as what we think.

For example: water bottle

This photo is taken at my house. Both of this bottles shows the aesthetics-usability effect. The SpongeBob bottle is more accepted by people because it design is more attractive and beautiful rather than the yellow bottle. The spongebob bottle applied the aesthetic-usability effect in it design so that it will make people love to buy it.

These pictures are taken at my hostel. This 2 type of shoes shows the principle of aesthetic-usability effect. People tend to buy the Nike shoes rather than the Hushpuppies shoes because it design is more attractive. The Nike shoes look more energetic because the colour used is bright meanwhile for the Hush Puppies shoes look dull and not the colour. The shoes do not give any attraction to the customer to buy it.

For example : Shoes

This pictures are taken at my hostel. This 2 type of shoes shows the principle of aesthetic-usability effect. People tend to buy the Nike shoes rather than the HushPuppies shoes because it design is more attractive. The Nike shoes look more energetic because the colour used is bright meanwhile for the Hush Puppies shoes look dull and not the colour of the shoes does not give any attraction to the customer to buy it.

2. Archetypes

Archetypes is a design principle that allow people to design something based on the good relationship between the emotional concept in the design with the properly use of the design elements such as fonts and colours. It conveys messages that verbal and written cannot do. It usually used in product design which influences perception of unconsciousness

Some says that archetypes are the unconscious product that has been programme in human brain through the human evolution. This archetype is more likely to be myths, human imagination and characters in literature.

Example: PUMA logo

These pictures are taken at sport shop near Waterfront area. Puma logo is design using the archetypes principle. Puma tend to use the cheetah archetype. People tend to remember the PUMA brand once they see the cheetah archetypes. Puma also always used the hero archetypes to present in every promotion or advertisement of PUMA product to attract peoples. 

3. Entry Point

Entry point is important design principle because entry point helps people to have a clear view of the design. It also allows people to explore more about the design. Entry point usually makes the navigation easy to be understood by people. To design a good entry point,the designer must follow some of important element which are point of prospect, minimal barriers, and progressive lures.

This photo is taken at FEB lobby. The design of the room at the FEB lobby shows a entry point principle. People can see through all the hallway of the room because there is no barrier that interrupts the entry to the room. The clear vision of things inside this room helps to lure people to enter the room.

4. Mimicry

Mimicry is an action of imitating the elements or properties of objects in order to create more advanced design and improved its functionality and usability. Designers like to use mimicry in their designs because it help people to recognize the design in memorable way.

There are 3 types of mimicry which are surface mimicry behavioural mimicry and functionality mimicry.

A)  Surface mimicry- Surface mimicry means change the look of the design to make it different thing`

B)   Behavioural mimicry- making a design that it functionality is like something else

C)   Functionality mimicry- improvise and enhance the design to work like different thing

For example: Piggy bank & an egg

This photo are taken from my sister’s room. This design of piggy bank  mimic the shape of an egg. Surface mimicry is applied in this design of piggy bank.

5. Colour

Colour acts as the main role to make a design with the help of colour wheel tool. The mixing of colour is importance in design in order a specific and contrast visual effect. Colour helps to attract attention of peoples to buy your product. Colour also plays main role to enhance the aesthetic part of the product which mean the combination of colour that been used in the design make it more visually interesting. The combination of the colour must follow the different principles of design. There are 3 key of design principle which is number of colours, colour combinations, saturation and symbolism.     

For example : The colour of the pillow sheet

This photo is taken in my room. The design of my pillow case shows the combination of the colour used are followed the rythm principle. Rhythm principle produce a unified and coherent effect to the design.The main idea of rhytm principle is repetition. For this pillow case,the round shape shows the rhytm principle which it keep repeat the same circle using different colour.It also shows the design on this pillow cover followed the emphasis pinciple,which is it bold the circle in the middle between the other two circle so that it will be the main focus of viewer.               

6. Exposure Effect

Exposure effect usually used in to make an advertisement to promote product or brand. It commonly gives a positive effect to the customers about the design.

Exposure effect includes the song, slogan and photographs. Usually, the images or photograph, and meaningful words are tend to give the strongest effect to people. Exposure effect commonly repeatedly represented to the people and this will increase the acceptance of people about the design.    

For example: KFC logo

This photo is taken at KFC at Desa Ilmu. The photo of the old man gives a strong effect to the viewer that every time they see the image of that old man, it means that it is KFC restaurant. KFC stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken. This three letter easy to be memorise by the view because it on has 3 letters. And people will automatically know what the 3 letters stands for.

Main Reference

Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J., (2003). Universal principles of design: a cross-disciplinary reference. Massachusetts: Rockport Publisher.

UNIT 6

1. Constraint Principle

Constraint principle is about the limitation of an object. If an object follows the constraint principle, the user won’t have difficulties in assembling the object even though they have no previous knowledge about it. There are four different classes of constraints which are physical, semantic, cultural and logical constraint.

a) Physical Constraint

(The picture above was taken from one of the group member)

The example for physical constraint is a plug. The plug can only be connected to the fuse in one direction because of the limitation of its shape.

b) Semantic Constraint

(The picture above was taken from one of the group member)

Next, the example for semantic constraint is a laptop. Semantic constraint means that in order to execute an action, the user must have knowledge and know the significance of the conditions. In this example, the screen of the laptop can only be open and facing one direction. Thus, the person behind the laptop can see the back cover of the screen but not the LED screen of the laptop.

c) Cultural constraint

(The picture above was taken from one of the group member)

For the cultural constraint, each culture has its own identity. Therefore in different countries, the design of an object or items might be different from one another. The driver seat in a car is one of the examples that can be used to describe the cultural difference. In Malaysia, the driver's car seat is on the right side of the car, while in the United States or European countries, the driver's car seat is on the left side of the car.

d) Logical constraint

Logical constraint related with the natural mappings. It is a relationship between the functional structure and the object that been changed. Our example is a kitchen stove with two knobs. The left knob is to light up the left burner and the right knob is to light up the right burner. The knobs respond to its respective burners. This means that the functional structure of the stove match with the burners.

2. Cost Benefit

          (The picture above was taken from the official website of maybank2u.com.my)

Cost benefits related to financial returns offer to customer who uses the service. For example, maybank2u attract user to use its services by promoting a contest. The user can win prizes by transact using maybank2u. Furthermore, the contest announcement was place at the main page of maybank2u website. It is design that way so it can attract the user attention. 

3. Visibility

(The picture above was taken from the house of one of the group member)

Visibility means that a specific part on an object should be noticeable and detectable to the user to execute an action. This principle is very important because the user could differentiate between different parts of an object and the result of expected actions. The example that we have choose for this principle is a rice cooker. This is because, there is only one switch on this rice cooker and there is a light with label warm and cook. When the users want to cook rice, they will need to press down the switch and the light with label cook will light up. The visibility of the action of the switch and the light proves that this example follow the visibility principle perfectly.

4. Progressive Disclosure

(The picture was a screen capture image taken from an iPad by one of the group member)

Progressive disclosure is an interaction design use to limit the information shown to the user to minimize perplexity and reduce cognitive workload. This is an important principle as it enhances functionality of the items. Our example for progressive disclosure is the safari browser setting in iPad. In the picture, we can see that there is only certain options display. If the users wish to see more options related, they need to press the arrow place on the side of the respective option where they will then be presented with more options in a second window.

5. Iconic Representation

Iconic is meaning relating to or having the characteristics on an icon. Referring to the pictures, it is means the connection between of the pictures and how it relates to our mind. For example, the picture of “Lapangan Terbang” and the arrow to the right sides means to our mind that an airport is not too far from us and only at the right side or the right way.

Iconic representations are very useful ways to simplify, conserving display and control areas and reduce cognitive load to makes signs and symbols easier and simpler to understand across cultures. When you need to represent something simple and concrete then consider similar icons, but for more complex representations example icons may be more effective.

6. Wayfinding

Wayfinding can be defined as spatial problem solving. It is about knowing where you are in a building or an environment, knowing where your desired location is, and knowing how to get there from your present location.

Main Reference

Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J., (2003). Universal principles of design: a cross-displinary reference. Massachusetts: Rockport Publisher.