People see things in different ways. Even individuals have their own perspective due to their experiences. Take any object and have many people describe it and you will receive different answers.
This is concept is similar to applying themes to so-called Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs), so prevalent today and mostly useless. Themes are applied with: mobile phones, email (such as Google Mail), Operating Systems, etc.
What if you could switch that around and have completely different interfaces, instead of themes, to the same information?
Case in point. Check out Henri Derudder's portfolio.
First of all he uses one of the most fundamental questions on the Internet, asking which language you would like to view the site. Most web sites are under the assumption that the whole world speaks one language.
Once you have chosen a language, the site loads and presents you with a modifiable interface. Loading with thumbnails of the work done.
Additional interfaces can be selected in the top left including: thumbnails, circular, chronology. Each one presents the information (Mr. Derudder's portfolio) in a different manner.
On top of that, each interface can be filtered with the category of work.
Brilliant. The first time I saw the site, I was amazed and spent a bit too much time than I should have. Probably one of the best uses of interface design presently on the Internet.
Showing posts with label design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label design. Show all posts
2008-12-04
2008-08-11
Interface or Design?
Good design, like good interface, should not be obvious. It should be subtle, and yet be strong enough to get the message intended across to the person interacting with it.
Interface, considered by many to be a subset of design, is in my mind is even more subtle and pervasive.
We interface with everything every moment of every day. And humans have been doing so for a very long time, even before design was perfected to be borne as a profession.
As many are familiar, an interface is known as an User Interface (UI) on a display to interact with to move things around, show pictures or movies and read text. In other words control the workspace. However, that is just the "virtual space". The human interface is the computer input: most notably the keyboard and mouse to most. While computers have other means of interfacing with the device (speech, eye-tracking, brain-wave), these are not as well refined or implemented at this time.
Today's computers are simply complex tools. Tools of older generations of humans had tools of wood, stone, etc. to interact with their world. Tools come in many forms, including: pencil and paper, fork and knife, water in a glass, chest of drawers with clothes, gas stove to cook food, lock and key, etc. Each a technology at the time invented. Collectively, also each an interface.
Architecture is one of the best human interfaces ever created. People interact with the spaces they live and work and gather in. Well architected interfaces last many decades or even centuries. With good construction materials, even millenniums. Well done things tend to be kept in use.
A book is a great interface that has lasted centuries. It contains information in text and sometimes pictures and/or diagrams. It is portable, can be easily transferred, and has the ability to become a historical item when it survives for a long time (and thus an indirect interface to that time period).
Good signage, a must to inform someone in an unfamiliar territory or provide a warning, is also an interface. It communicates to the person a message.
That signage is really useful when in a vehicle, an interface to move you faster than walking.
In short, anything that interacts with something else is an interface. Even the mind interacts with the human body to interact with the "outside" world.
Interface, considered by many to be a subset of design, is in my mind is even more subtle and pervasive.
We interface with everything every moment of every day. And humans have been doing so for a very long time, even before design was perfected to be borne as a profession.
As many are familiar, an interface is known as an User Interface (UI) on a display to interact with to move things around, show pictures or movies and read text. In other words control the workspace. However, that is just the "virtual space". The human interface is the computer input: most notably the keyboard and mouse to most. While computers have other means of interfacing with the device (speech, eye-tracking, brain-wave), these are not as well refined or implemented at this time.
Today's computers are simply complex tools. Tools of older generations of humans had tools of wood, stone, etc. to interact with their world. Tools come in many forms, including: pencil and paper, fork and knife, water in a glass, chest of drawers with clothes, gas stove to cook food, lock and key, etc. Each a technology at the time invented. Collectively, also each an interface.
Architecture is one of the best human interfaces ever created. People interact with the spaces they live and work and gather in. Well architected interfaces last many decades or even centuries. With good construction materials, even millenniums. Well done things tend to be kept in use.
A book is a great interface that has lasted centuries. It contains information in text and sometimes pictures and/or diagrams. It is portable, can be easily transferred, and has the ability to become a historical item when it survives for a long time (and thus an indirect interface to that time period).
Good signage, a must to inform someone in an unfamiliar territory or provide a warning, is also an interface. It communicates to the person a message.
That signage is really useful when in a vehicle, an interface to move you faster than walking.
In short, anything that interacts with something else is an interface. Even the mind interacts with the human body to interact with the "outside" world.
2008-08-04
Serving Black & White
Black and white have an intimate relationship.
Together they carry the connotations of good and evil, light and dark, positive and negative, yin and yang. Without one you cannot have the other.
Traditionally, black ink has been printed on white paper. As goes so many technological advances, cost is involved. So much so, that ink was expensive and minimal usage was necessary. However, other understandings emerged from this circumstance. Specifically, the knowledge that ink/printing on paper is a reflective technology. Meaning, that (sun) light bounces off of paper to create an image on the eye.
With modern technology, such as television and computer displays, they are transmissive. Thus, transmitting light to create an image on the eye.
While the eye is attracted to an object in a blank space, such as large white circle on a black printed page, what also should be considered is what is easiest or more comfortable on the eye. The near equality of use of black on white with both paper and computer displays is the focus here.
As a transmissive technology, computer displays beam large amounts of artificial light when its display is white. A large portion of the Internet's web sites have a white background. My guess would be around 80%.
This seems to me that people (and even designers) believe the print world and digital world to be equivalent to present information. Obviously, that is not true. However, omitting the additional traits that digital information can be dealt with, let us remain with the colors on a static presentation.
With completely white screen on a computer display, all pixels are on. Thus, a bombardment of transmissive light enters the eye. This is counter-intuitive to a natural eye attraction to an object.
Going back to the circle presented, we can interchange the focus appropriately for the medium (paper or computer display). A white circle on a black background for a computer display would focus all of the emitted light from the circle, which would naturally attract the eye there (both from an energetic/active level as well as an object to view). A black circle on white paper brings the eye to it because it has modified the paper by adding ink to it.
In summary, best usage of:
print = black on white
screen = white on black
Together they carry the connotations of good and evil, light and dark, positive and negative, yin and yang. Without one you cannot have the other.
Traditionally, black ink has been printed on white paper. As goes so many technological advances, cost is involved. So much so, that ink was expensive and minimal usage was necessary. However, other understandings emerged from this circumstance. Specifically, the knowledge that ink/printing on paper is a reflective technology. Meaning, that (sun) light bounces off of paper to create an image on the eye.
With modern technology, such as television and computer displays, they are transmissive. Thus, transmitting light to create an image on the eye.
While the eye is attracted to an object in a blank space, such as large white circle on a black printed page, what also should be considered is what is easiest or more comfortable on the eye. The near equality of use of black on white with both paper and computer displays is the focus here.
As a transmissive technology, computer displays beam large amounts of artificial light when its display is white. A large portion of the Internet's web sites have a white background. My guess would be around 80%.
This seems to me that people (and even designers) believe the print world and digital world to be equivalent to present information. Obviously, that is not true. However, omitting the additional traits that digital information can be dealt with, let us remain with the colors on a static presentation.
With completely white screen on a computer display, all pixels are on. Thus, a bombardment of transmissive light enters the eye. This is counter-intuitive to a natural eye attraction to an object.
Going back to the circle presented, we can interchange the focus appropriately for the medium (paper or computer display). A white circle on a black background for a computer display would focus all of the emitted light from the circle, which would naturally attract the eye there (both from an energetic/active level as well as an object to view). A black circle on white paper brings the eye to it because it has modified the paper by adding ink to it.
In summary, best usage of:
print = black on white
screen = white on black
2008-07-28
Interface - it's not just for breakfast anymore
Interface, like design is an under-appreciated thing. When done well, you don't notice it because the message that is delivered is obvious. When poorly done, many questions usually arise.
As was the case this past weekend: interface done well.
A weekend trip to greater San Diego granted me one of the best interface experiences yet: a music venue. This time done right.
I can't tell you how many times I've been in a structure, professionally done or not that has had a bad sound experience. From overbearing decibels (loud music), a questionably professional band, no pre-check of sound levels, no sound engineer (or conscious one), poorly played instruments or those who thought they did, etc. I could go on and on.
Suffice it to say, that Anthology in the Little Italy section of downtown San Diego has it right. This is the first time I can say that I have heard perfect sound in any structure. I've been to symphony halls that if you move around enough, you lose a particular sound range. In Anthology, you can walk the entire space and still hear everything. Amazing. What makes me now question: "How come this is the only one that I have experienced? Are there any others? Why so few?"
As was the case this past weekend: interface done well.
A weekend trip to greater San Diego granted me one of the best interface experiences yet: a music venue. This time done right.
I can't tell you how many times I've been in a structure, professionally done or not that has had a bad sound experience. From overbearing decibels (loud music), a questionably professional band, no pre-check of sound levels, no sound engineer (or conscious one), poorly played instruments or those who thought they did, etc. I could go on and on.
Suffice it to say, that Anthology in the Little Italy section of downtown San Diego has it right. This is the first time I can say that I have heard perfect sound in any structure. I've been to symphony halls that if you move around enough, you lose a particular sound range. In Anthology, you can walk the entire space and still hear everything. Amazing. What makes me now question: "How come this is the only one that I have experienced? Are there any others? Why so few?"
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