Boring!
I know right!? You're probably already grabbing the nearest clicking device to change the channel, find the next page, or just find something, anything, more stimulating than this.
What you probably don't realize is that every one of those devices is using this principle, though some are better than others.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics are how we see something: they help us categorize objects through distinguishing features such as color or shape (“that’s green!”). This ability to recognize specific perceptual cues is known as perceptual salience (1). It plays a key role in helping us identify objects around us quickly—for instance, we know our favorite pair of shoes by their color alone without having to check every detail first (2).
This visual shorthand that our brain uses without being taught is also what makes an application look pleasing and/or beautiful. It can set the tone for how users experience an app or website, or it can even highlight, downplay, and guide the eye in ways that aid in task completion and user satisfaction.
The first thing to remember about the aesthetics of software is that it is the theme, personality, and initial guide to use; while an interface can have a theme (something like fantasy or corporate-focused design), it also has personality in the form of color, typography, and other aspects of layout and presentation, and the combination of these things as well as structure can heavily impact its usability.
Structure
The structure is the way your software is organized. It's the system, build, and basic layout of your website or app.
The structure can be viewed as an image’s composition: it is what guides you through the journey of your tasks. It gives focus to each element and makes them stand out from those that are unlike them. It can also help you understand where you are at any given time within that journey, and the best designs can do all of this, without you being aware that's what they are doing.
Utility
The quality of utility is a cornerstone of the user experience. It is vital to the success of any software, as it determines how easily users can perform their tasks.
The utility is defined as: “the quality or state of being useful; usefulness; advantage” (Merriam Webster).
It refers to how well something performs its intended purpose or functions. In this context, utility refers specifically to software functionality and ease of use—specifically about performing tasks that users need to complete.
Software usability testing reveals whether or not your product has good utility; if not, it may mean that you need significant improvements before releasing your product into the world.
In a perfect world, your software would be easy to use, intuitive, and have a great user experience. To achieve that, you will need to consider aesthetics (how the software looks), structure (how the application is organized), and utility (the actions users can take).
To learn more about what can help improve the usability of your software you can check out this article http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.122.6347&rep=rep1&type=pdf About Some game design principles that improve usability.
You can also check back next week for my next post about some of the basic elements of design.
Comments