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.