Graphical Screen Design Part 1 Contrast Repetition Alignment

Graphical Screen Design Part 1: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity Lecture /slide deck produced by Saul Greenberg, University of Calgary, Canada Image: R. Williams, Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press Notice: some material in this deck is used from other sources without permission. Credit to the original source is given if it is known

Learning CRAP Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity Grids Other visual design concepts • • consistency organization navigational cues familiar idioms relationships legibility and readability appropriate imagery

CRAP Contrast • • make different things different brings out dominant elements mutes lesser elements creates dynamism Repetition Alignment Proximity 1 2 3 4 5 Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

CRAP Contrast Repetition • repeat design throughout the interface • consistency • creates unity 1 Alignment Proximity 3 2 4 Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

CRAP Contrast Repetition Alignment 1 • creates a visual flow • visually connects elements Proximity 3 4 2 Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

CRAP Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity 1 • groups related elements • separates unrelated ones 2 3 Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

Original

Proximity

Alignment

Contrast

Repetition We still need to tune this page, but it’s a better starting point

We still need to tune this page, but it’s a better starting point

The Squint Test Squint your eyes • step back • what stands out? Things to look for • • foreground / background dominant vs. muted elements connections and relationships hierarchies

Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

Modifed from Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

Where does your eye go? CRAP combines to give you cues of how to read the graphic title subtext three points main point sub point Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

You know Your graphical design friends Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity

Interface Design and Usability Engineering Goals: Articulate: • who users are • their key tasks Task centered system design Methods: Participatory design Evaluate tasks Usercentered design Brainstorm designs Psychology of everyday things Participatory interaction User involvement Task scenario Representation & walkmetaphors through low fidelity prototyping methods Products: User and task descriptions Throw-away paper prototypes Refined designs Graphical screen design Interface guidelines Style guides Completed designs Usability testing Field testing Heuristic evaluation high fidelity prototyping methods Testable prototypes Alpha/beta systems or complete specification

Primary Sources This slide deck is partly based on concepts as taught by: • Designing Visual Interfaces, Mullet & Sano, Prentice Hall • Robin Williams Non-Designers Design Book, Peachpit Press

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