Part III: Visual Design
In school you’re taught, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Yet as human beings, we subconsciously do this every day when we buy our clothes, choose a mate, and buy a car—looks matter. And in the world of software, this is truer now than ever before. Imagine your application sitting in an app store with a million others. Why would users pick yours over others with similar functionality? Creating visually stunning software with a great UX is your best bet. Much research suggests that the way things look will influence a product’s perceived value. Simply put, most people assume that “attractive things work better.” Visual design plays a critical role in creating a premium user experience, as Don Norman (author of Design of Everyday Things) elegantly puts it:
“Good design means that beauty and usability are in balance.”
In Part II of the book, you explore design-thinking and usability aspects of digital design. The next four chapters focus on visual design techniques that will help you create your own unique designs. You’ll approach visual design gradually, starting with basic color theory and typography. Then we’ll move on to intermediate topics like designing grid-based layouts and animation. Along the way, you’ll find out about these important topics:
• Choosing a color palette that helps your application stand out from the competition
• Making good decisions about typography for optimal readability and consistency
• Creating a layout that’s easy to ...
