Robot Panda: Understanding UI Design

robotpanda:

I love Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics! I read it a few years ago for a class, and I still think about it from time to time. I came across this UX Mag article about realism in UI design, and it references McCloud’s book. Symbols and icons are ubiquitous in web design, but has anyone ever stopped to think about what they mean to the average user?

The point being made here is that symbols are meant to represent, rather than be a specific thing. And while too little detail can cause confusion, too much can detract. Details can be added to a point where the image becomes meaningful. And I have seen UI design go past that point, where artistic details are added and the meaning of that symbol changes.

From Realism in UI Design:

UI elements are abstractions which convey concepts and ideas; they should retain only those details that are relevant to their purpose.

If you want a symbol to be meaningful on a universal level, then the less details you add to it, the more people you can reach.

Source: robotpanda

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