On the right, these two widgets are shown as unenclosed elements. The space between the two indicate that they are two different things, but the proximity between them groups them separately from other elements on the page. On the left, these two widgets are shown as enclosed elements, where the edges of a shape describe their form. Additionally, the list that has used indentation is using that to indicate that some items are further grouped together in support of another.īecause the brain is “looking for” space and arrangement to help describe an order to information, it will interpret individual elements of a visual language together, not separately.Ī simple way to illustrate this is to compare two ways of handling the kinds of widgets we commonly see in the sidebar of a webpage. Because the space between the lists is greater than the space between the individual lines of text in each group, the brain will “see” these as two collections of text, rather than just one. This implies that they are all of equal importance and comprise a single group. On the left, the items in the list are spaced and aligned equally. Because space between the two groups is greater than the space between the individual shapes in each group, the brain will “see” these as two groups rather than one.Īnother way to illustrate the principle of proximity uses text rather than shapes. On the right, there are two groups of shapes. Because they have been put together, it is implied that they have something in common. The brain “sees” this as a single group, though the shapes may, for example, be different sizes or images of different things. On the left, there is one group of shapes. This is a very simple way to illustrate the principle of proximity. So it’s critical that, when initially scanned, these elements are grouped in ways that make their arrangement appear intentional and allude to their function. Words and images are often interactive, representing parts of a system - ways to do things, ways to navigate, ways to communicate. Proximity is a simple notion, but it’s one of the more impactful in interaction design because of how often visual elements on a page or screen also have a function available to users. Verifying the integrity of the gestalt principles is a useful way to ensure the function of something you otherwise are satisfied with visually. So it’s natural that, though you may begin with an intent to maintain a particular kind of system, arrangement, or order to what you make, aesthetic elements and choices may begin to break that system down as the process unfolds. The creative process must always maintain a balance of order and disorder. But what’s useful about studying these principles is they can be a tool for both how you approach your design as well as one that helps you critique what you’ve created. Like all the gestalt principles, this seems obvious. Proximity - When objects are placed near one another, the mind perceives them as a group. The Gestalt Principles of Design are a set of concepts that apply the gestalt understanding of perception to how information can be treated and organized to better communicate. Many concepts come from this: a “school” as a group of fish, students, courses, or ideas a “machine” as a group of interoperating mechanisms a “layout” as a collection of visualized information. To better understand the meaning, it’s useful to understand the idea of gestalt psychology which teaches that brains tend to process organized groups of things as a whole, rather than a number of individual things. But these words don’t quite get to the full meaning of gestalt. Like many German words, there is no exact translation in English, so you may see the words form, shape, pattern, or configuration used as a substitute. If the term is new to you, the German word gestalt literally means the way a thing has been placed or put together. When objects are placed near one another, the mind perceives them as a group.
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