Designing for Emotion | Chapter Two

Rolling along with sage nuggets of design convention, our friend Aaron Walter lays down three big ideas for the chapter.

1. Evolutionary psychology innately shapes human interaction with design.

2. Contrast enables the human mind to de-emphasize clutter and focus on top-priority items — but too much contrast can confuse people!

3. Aesthetics profoundly influences usability. Form and function are knit together in a tightly bound payload.

Walter’s guru perspective shines brightest through the website example laced throughout each chapter. Calling out the golden rule in Twitter’s redesigned site, taking note of Tumblr’s splash page contrast and crystallizing Brizzly as the poster child for his baby-face principle solidify key concepts. I love these examples. They drive home essential information, while also tying abstract ideas to relevant design roaming the big, big world.

But occasionally an example misses the mark. At least, that’s my take on the author turning the spotlight to Ricardo Mestre’s design portfolio site. Frankly, I dislike it. You sputter, “But, Matt! It’s all about cognitive contrast. It’s organic!” Sure, fine. It’s different — but the novelty loses its sheen quickly when trying to scan through his visual compendium of work. A portfolio has one essential function: show off the creator’s work as quickly, powerfully and seamlessly as possible. In this poorly executed site, form clearly outstripped function in an act of tyrannical overthrow. Try to pick out his best design piece at a glance and users will swiftly realize critical usability took a sucker-punch to the jawline.