Lecture 6: Illusion of Motion
Unity
Unity is the underlying principle that summarizes all of the principles and
elements of design. It refers to the coherence of the whole, the sense
that all of the parts are working together to achieve a common result; a harmony
of all the parts.
Unity can be achieved through the effective and consistent use of any of the
elements, but pattern-- that is, underlying structure-- is the most
fundamental element for a strong sense of unity. Consistency of form and
color are also powerful tools that can pull a composition together.
Josef Koudelka Portugal
1976
However, unity also exists in variety. It is not necessary for all of the
elements to be identical in form providing they have a common quality of meaning
or style. For example, fashions from a specific period share common features of
silhouette, materials, and color that identify the style of the day, or the look
of a particular designer.
Unity can also be a matter of concept. The elements and principles can be
selected to support the intended function of the designed object; the purpose of
the object unifies the design.
Conceptual Models and Mental
Models
The designer
analyzes the content to be taught, the task to be performed or the information
to be displayed, and defines its structure and functionality. This structure in
the designer's mind is called a conceptual model.
The user also has a model, a mental
model which he has built up according to his experiences in a site. For example,
a designer may have in mind an online catalogue, with feature screens describing
products and an online ordering system (here again, we use the metaphor of the
catalogue to make things easier to understand). The user may be familiar with
the paper version of a catalogue but may be unsure how the online version
corresponds to his understanding. After trying options, the user will begin to
develop his own mental map, based on his experiences. However, if his mental
model is different from the designer's conceptual model, errors will occur and
the user will become confused or frustrated. In designing a conceptual model,
the closer your design matches familiar situations, the easier your system will
be to use