Creating user-friendly software interfaces has always been a hot topic with me. His writing may not still be totally relevant (I mean come on, it was 35 years ago), but as I have continued to learn and progress in the field, applying basic Gestalt and Fitts principles definitely makes for much more user-friendly interfaces. This is how some of these concepts have been affecting the process for my designing.

Gestalt principles are the rules that humans follow to group sets of objects, and which seeks to explain how people naturally organize visual elements into groups or unified wholes when certain principles are met. Designing an Interface & Empathy towards the Layouts When creating an interface design, I value it from users perspective. For instance, I apply the rule of proximity by grouping similar buttons so that users realize they are interrelated. I also make use of similarity in having the same colors or shapes for buttons that serve similar purposes. As a result, users are able to find patterns and navigate through the software better.

This all relates to Fitts’s Law, which refers to the time a user spends from moving there cursor to selecting an area, often something that needs clicking or tapping like a button or link. Larger, closer targets are faster to click. I also try to make more important buttons bigger, and have them easily accessible for the user. For example, I put the “Submit” button at the end of form and over-sized it so that it is more prominent. This eliminates the amount of time and effort it takes an individual to engage with the interface making the experience more pleasant.

I hope to use the principles by Gestalt and Fitts law for that, i order to create organized also yet efficient software. So when a user says an interface is intuitive, it means that they can complete tasks with less wasted energy and fewer mistakes. This increases overall satisfaction and reduces churn so that users continue to utilize the program. As I progress with my design, these principles are becoming part and parcel of what could be a vibrant user interface.