Visual Design

Question 1

What is Gestalt theory? How does it apply in the field of HCI?

Answer 1

The gestalt theory states that people tend to see things as a whole first before its individual parts. It is applied in the field of HCI as we can improve on the interfaces to convey grouping and meaning.

Question 2

How do users navigate and read pages? What are the implications of such user navigation?

Answer 2

Typically, users tend to skim through the left side of the page first, and also read pages in a ‘F’ shape where the most attention is given to the top left.

Users tend to read above the fold as well (upper part).

The implications of this is that they might tend to skip information put on the right side and especially so on the bottom right side.

Question 3

What are the goals of visual design?

Answer 3

Guide: Convey structure
Pace: Draw them in
Message: Express meaning and style

Question 4

How do you use the following, and give examples of Typography:

• Grouping & whitespace
• Typography
• Grids & Layout
• Color

Answer 4

1. Grouping & whitespace

Group relevant information/images together and use whitespace to separate those groupings.

Example: Can group details such as time and date of an event together, then use a whitespace to “denote” the end of it before adding other details of the event.

2. Typography

Typography affects visual design in the form of having good and clear text for the users.

Example: using common typefaces for large chunks of text rather than an unordinary one.

3. Grids & Layout

Grids and layout help in formatting and directing user’s attention to a certain place in terms of visual design.

Example: placing the more relevant information in the top left of the page so as to allow users to read it first rather than other sides as the other sides tend to get skipped.

4. Colour

Colour is an excellent tool in evoking emotions.

Example: using warm, inviting colours in a restaurant menu to create an inviting and hunger inducing environment.