I find it Interesting how psychology studies and insights can be applied to the design field. Reading more about Gestalt principles and Fitt’s law, has given me a new perspective in understanding how designers decide the placement of elements beyond aesthetics.
One significant realization for me has been that elements with the same attributes should have common visual qualities and be grouped together because it is simpler for users to understand that they have similar functions and easier for them to find the information they are looking for. In my Foundations class, I am analysing Craigslist’s website which I found to be too bland but now I know that they probably designed it that way to maintain focus on its purpose. In logo and icon design I will implement the law of closure to engage users by by inviting them to fill in the visual gaps. Keeping the law of common fate in mind while creating feedback animations and microinteractions, I am going to ensure that the movement indicates shared purpose to match the user expectations. Lastly, I will leverage familiar elements or gestures, such as playback controls while watching videos and pinch-to-zoom, that users can recognize from their past experiences to make it easy for them to interact with the software smoothly.
When designing screens for software I will be conscious of the sequence in which the user might interact with elements and then minimize the time taken for them to complete the action. Some other things I learnt from Fitt’s laws are that interactive elements should be large enough and adequate spaced from other elements so that the users can interact with them effortlessly without errors. Overall I will keep in mind that the interactable elements are large enough, clearly visible, not overlapping with other elements, and placed with the correct reach. In conclusion, while creating an interactive piece of software I will keep Gestalt principles and Fitt’s law in my toolbox to ensure that my designs deliver great user experience and never prioritise visual appeal over usability.
