Ergonomics and beauty
From the translator . In publications and on the Internet one can find quite a few publications on various particular aspects of usability. The work devoted to the analysis of the theoretical and methodological foundations of usability appears much less.
We would like to fill this gap and begin a series of publications in which questions of computer ergonomics are examined at the junction of various areas of knowledge: technical aesthetics and design, psychology, philosophy of technology ... Publications will include both translated and our own research materials.
To begin with, we would like to offer the attention of our readers to the article by the French researcher Amelie Bush “Ergonomics and Beauty”. The work was written in 2004, but the issues raised in it have not lost their relevance today. What is more important: beauty or functionality? What are the criteria of beauty and aesthetics in relation to software products? What role does user perception of purely aesthetic aspects of software play in shaping ideas about its functionality?
We hope that the proposed articles will arouse the interest of readers and will be the subject of a productive discussion.
Amelie Boucher
')
Ergonomics and beauty
When developing software it is impossible not to pay attention to issues of ergonomics and usability. Many questions are devoted to these questions. The issue of the links between ergonomics and aesthetics has received less attention.
Increased attention to usability is not always a guarantee that the program will be positively evaluated by users. The aesthetic factor plays an important role in the perception of the software product by the user.
It is highly desirable that the development of any serious software is carried out in close cooperation between programmers and designers. Designer's observations can often suggest the optimal solution to the usability specialist. It is the designer who can concretize many ideas of the developers and give them the final visual embodiment.
Convenience and beauty - things interconnected
One of the most important criteria for the quality of a computer program is the user-friendliness of the interface with respect to the user. The aesthetic criterion plays a significant role in the evaluation of a program by users.
Many software and website developers are of the opinion that the main focus when creating a new product should be given to functional convenience, and aesthetic appeal is a desirable, but not mandatory property. However, practice shows that between the beauty and convenience of the interface there is the most direct connection; moreover, visual appeal in some cases can compensate for the inconvenience of use. A program that is not remarkable from an aesthetic point of view may not find a way to the general public at all.
The above applies to both desktop and web applications and sites. And in the case of sites, issues of aesthetic appeal should be given much more attention. Many desktop applications designed to solve special problems are the only ones in their field, it is impossible for them to find replacements. As for web applications and websites, in most cases the user has a choice, and the emphasis solely on functional convenience is insufficient to attract a wide audience. When choosing a site that is really pleasant to use, people are often guided by completely unexpected criteria, including aesthetic ones. An ideal site should combine information, functionality and visual appeal.
Aesthetics in the service of usability
Most usability specialists believe that aesthetics should be talked about only when it contributes to an increase in the level of functional convenience. Such a position precludes any appeal to beauty in and of itself.
In this regard, it should be noted that working on the appearance of the application and aesthetic appeal significantly improves the functionality. Good design allows you to better organize information and contributes to usability optimization in this way.
The design of interfaces can be divided into two groups of elements:
(1) functional elements supporting human-computer interaction (buttons, icons, etc.).
(2) decorative elements, whose role is merely that they make the interface beautiful, pleasing to the eye
Many usability and design experts put functionality first and believe that there should be no decorative elements in the interface design.
There is, however, another opinion. One of his followers is Donald Norman - a well-known expert in the field of interface design, and in the field of psychology. He believes that the aesthetic appeal significantly increases the ease of operation, makes the process of interaction between man and machine enjoyable. “Aesthetics matter: attractive things work better” (“Aesthetics is important: a thing is beautiful - it means it is needed”), - writes Norman.
Aesthetics for aesthetics
Let's say a few words in defense of beauty-in-itself, existing as an addition to functionality. Purely visual elements may not bring any tangible benefits, increase the information density and load time of web pages; besides, sometimes they divert attention from important things. All this, however, does not detract from the benefits that decorative elements can bring.
Already mentioned above, Donald Norman writes about the role of color in the user’s perception of the interface: "Although my mind told me that color is not important, my emotional reaction indicated something else." ).
The appearance of many things in itself can cause a feeling of satisfaction. Even when solving such a utilitarian task as creating an interface, one should not forget that in a person’s everyday attitude to things, beauty considerations often prevail over considerations of functionality and utility. A compromise between functional convenience and visual appeal should be sought.
Aesthetics and functionality: materials of psychological research
The results of research in the field of psychology show the important role of the aesthetic factor in human knowledge of the world.
It is impossible not to draw attention to the fact that emotions play a huge role in the mental life of a person. They have a huge impact on our behavior and thinking. The results of studies of the influence of emotions on cognitive activity may well be transferred to the sphere of aesthetics and usability.
Philosophers and psychologists have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the current mood affects our perception, thinking, and behavior. Being in a positive mood, we better understand and assimilate information. These theses also apply to software users: those who are in a positive mood are able to work with the program much more efficiently. The results of experimental studies show that a positive mood allows you to process information faster, find answers to questions, make decisions. The aesthetic factor plays a huge role in shaping the emotional attitude. From the above, we can draw the following conclusion: due to the aesthetic appeal of the interface, many functional inconveniences are “smoothed out” and may not be noticed at all by the user.
Natural craving for beauty
Psychological studies show that it is common for a person to prefer the pleasure of pain and the pleasant to the unpleasant. Getting pleasure can be considered as one of the basic motives of human actions.
The attractiveness of the interface helps to create a positive emotional background for the user. It can be suggested that of two approximately equal programs, users would rather prefer a program with a more visually appealing interface.
Of course, the criteria for beauty are subjective. Different users give completely different answers to questions about the aesthetic appeal of the interface. Answers to questions about the functional convenience of the same interface are characterized by great clarity and great monotony, because the assessment is carried out on completely objective and verifiable indicators: for example, the time of a particular operation or the number of errors made by the user.
It is impossible, however, to deny that there are common moments in our judgments about beauty. So, it is possible to distinguish a set of representations typical for a particular culture, for example, about pleasant or unpleasant colors to the eye. All this data one way or another should be taken into account when designing interfaces.
Usability - not only and not so much usability
One of the arguments for taking into account the aesthetic factor can be drawn directly from the definition of usability given in ISO 9241. According to this definition, usability is understood as “... the degree of efficiency, productivity and satisfaction with which a product can be used by certain users to achieve certain goals in a certain context. "
From this definition it follows that it is impossible to talk about usability without taking into account user satisfaction. Therefore, the need to take into account the aesthetic factor when creating interfaces can hardly be questioned.
Some researchers tend to believe that the aesthetic appeal of the interface should contribute primarily to increasing the speed of information processing. This position seems to be somewhat limited: it completely ignores the importance of receiving pleasure from interacting with the machine and the whole wealth of such interaction.
An ordinary user is often unable to assess certain aspects related to usability. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it is generally impossible to say that if the program interface was different, then working with it would be much more efficient and fast. In order for the user to draw such conclusions, it takes time.
Aesthetic judgment is different in that it is rendered instantly. One look at the interface is enough to say whether it is attractive or not. The user will not find fault with usability if the interface is designed really beautifully. One cannot agree that the user first of all needs simplicity. Ease of use is not a decisive criterion when choosing one or another software.
You need to understand that the interaction of man and computer is a complex and multifactorial process. A very important factor is usability. But the aesthetic factor is no less important.
What is beautiful is good: the role of the aesthetic factor in assessing the functional convenience of the software
Experimental and psychological research data show: a person is inclined to attribute the usefulness of what seems beautiful to him. The psychological mechanism of this phenomenon has not yet been fully studied, but there are parallels with the well-known phenomenon of attributing socially positive qualities to people with attractive features.
Knowledge about the formation of impressions based on physical information can and should be used when creating interfaces. It can be assumed that the appearance of the interface leads us to the conclusion that it has certain characteristics, is convenient or inconvenient in work, etc.
To illustrate the effect on the formation of aesthetic appeal of a thing on the formation of subjective perceptions of quality, let us quote another quote from Donald Norman: “Wash and polish your car — doesn’t it drive better?” )
In the formation of ideas about the convenience of a particular thing, a great role is played by the feeling of satisfaction from its use. Ideas about the convenience of the interface are largely due to its aesthetic appeal. Creating truly user-friendly applications is impossible without close collaboration between developers and aesthetics specialists and designers.
We would like to fill this gap and begin a series of publications in which questions of computer ergonomics are examined at the junction of various areas of knowledge: technical aesthetics and design, psychology, philosophy of technology ... Publications will include both translated and our own research materials. To begin with, we would like to offer the attention of our readers to the article by the French researcher Amelie Bush “Ergonomics and Beauty”. The work was written in 2004, but the issues raised in it have not lost their relevance today. What is more important: beauty or functionality? What are the criteria of beauty and aesthetics in relation to software products? What role does user perception of purely aesthetic aspects of software play in shaping ideas about its functionality?
We hope that the proposed articles will arouse the interest of readers and will be the subject of a productive discussion.
Amelie Boucher
')
Ergonomics and beauty
When developing software it is impossible not to pay attention to issues of ergonomics and usability. Many questions are devoted to these questions. The issue of the links between ergonomics and aesthetics has received less attention.
Increased attention to usability is not always a guarantee that the program will be positively evaluated by users. The aesthetic factor plays an important role in the perception of the software product by the user.
It is highly desirable that the development of any serious software is carried out in close cooperation between programmers and designers. Designer's observations can often suggest the optimal solution to the usability specialist. It is the designer who can concretize many ideas of the developers and give them the final visual embodiment.
Convenience and beauty - things interconnected
One of the most important criteria for the quality of a computer program is the user-friendliness of the interface with respect to the user. The aesthetic criterion plays a significant role in the evaluation of a program by users.
Many software and website developers are of the opinion that the main focus when creating a new product should be given to functional convenience, and aesthetic appeal is a desirable, but not mandatory property. However, practice shows that between the beauty and convenience of the interface there is the most direct connection; moreover, visual appeal in some cases can compensate for the inconvenience of use. A program that is not remarkable from an aesthetic point of view may not find a way to the general public at all.
The above applies to both desktop and web applications and sites. And in the case of sites, issues of aesthetic appeal should be given much more attention. Many desktop applications designed to solve special problems are the only ones in their field, it is impossible for them to find replacements. As for web applications and websites, in most cases the user has a choice, and the emphasis solely on functional convenience is insufficient to attract a wide audience. When choosing a site that is really pleasant to use, people are often guided by completely unexpected criteria, including aesthetic ones. An ideal site should combine information, functionality and visual appeal.
Aesthetics in the service of usability
Most usability specialists believe that aesthetics should be talked about only when it contributes to an increase in the level of functional convenience. Such a position precludes any appeal to beauty in and of itself.
In this regard, it should be noted that working on the appearance of the application and aesthetic appeal significantly improves the functionality. Good design allows you to better organize information and contributes to usability optimization in this way.
The design of interfaces can be divided into two groups of elements:
(1) functional elements supporting human-computer interaction (buttons, icons, etc.).
(2) decorative elements, whose role is merely that they make the interface beautiful, pleasing to the eye
Many usability and design experts put functionality first and believe that there should be no decorative elements in the interface design.
There is, however, another opinion. One of his followers is Donald Norman - a well-known expert in the field of interface design, and in the field of psychology. He believes that the aesthetic appeal significantly increases the ease of operation, makes the process of interaction between man and machine enjoyable. “Aesthetics matter: attractive things work better” (“Aesthetics is important: a thing is beautiful - it means it is needed”), - writes Norman.
Aesthetics for aesthetics
Let's say a few words in defense of beauty-in-itself, existing as an addition to functionality. Purely visual elements may not bring any tangible benefits, increase the information density and load time of web pages; besides, sometimes they divert attention from important things. All this, however, does not detract from the benefits that decorative elements can bring.
Already mentioned above, Donald Norman writes about the role of color in the user’s perception of the interface: "Although my mind told me that color is not important, my emotional reaction indicated something else." ).
The appearance of many things in itself can cause a feeling of satisfaction. Even when solving such a utilitarian task as creating an interface, one should not forget that in a person’s everyday attitude to things, beauty considerations often prevail over considerations of functionality and utility. A compromise between functional convenience and visual appeal should be sought.
Aesthetics and functionality: materials of psychological research
The results of research in the field of psychology show the important role of the aesthetic factor in human knowledge of the world.
It is impossible not to draw attention to the fact that emotions play a huge role in the mental life of a person. They have a huge impact on our behavior and thinking. The results of studies of the influence of emotions on cognitive activity may well be transferred to the sphere of aesthetics and usability.
Philosophers and psychologists have repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the current mood affects our perception, thinking, and behavior. Being in a positive mood, we better understand and assimilate information. These theses also apply to software users: those who are in a positive mood are able to work with the program much more efficiently. The results of experimental studies show that a positive mood allows you to process information faster, find answers to questions, make decisions. The aesthetic factor plays a huge role in shaping the emotional attitude. From the above, we can draw the following conclusion: due to the aesthetic appeal of the interface, many functional inconveniences are “smoothed out” and may not be noticed at all by the user.
Natural craving for beauty
Psychological studies show that it is common for a person to prefer the pleasure of pain and the pleasant to the unpleasant. Getting pleasure can be considered as one of the basic motives of human actions.
The attractiveness of the interface helps to create a positive emotional background for the user. It can be suggested that of two approximately equal programs, users would rather prefer a program with a more visually appealing interface.
Of course, the criteria for beauty are subjective. Different users give completely different answers to questions about the aesthetic appeal of the interface. Answers to questions about the functional convenience of the same interface are characterized by great clarity and great monotony, because the assessment is carried out on completely objective and verifiable indicators: for example, the time of a particular operation or the number of errors made by the user.
It is impossible, however, to deny that there are common moments in our judgments about beauty. So, it is possible to distinguish a set of representations typical for a particular culture, for example, about pleasant or unpleasant colors to the eye. All this data one way or another should be taken into account when designing interfaces.
Usability - not only and not so much usability
One of the arguments for taking into account the aesthetic factor can be drawn directly from the definition of usability given in ISO 9241. According to this definition, usability is understood as “... the degree of efficiency, productivity and satisfaction with which a product can be used by certain users to achieve certain goals in a certain context. "
From this definition it follows that it is impossible to talk about usability without taking into account user satisfaction. Therefore, the need to take into account the aesthetic factor when creating interfaces can hardly be questioned.
Some researchers tend to believe that the aesthetic appeal of the interface should contribute primarily to increasing the speed of information processing. This position seems to be somewhat limited: it completely ignores the importance of receiving pleasure from interacting with the machine and the whole wealth of such interaction.
An ordinary user is often unable to assess certain aspects related to usability. In the overwhelming majority of cases, it is generally impossible to say that if the program interface was different, then working with it would be much more efficient and fast. In order for the user to draw such conclusions, it takes time.
Aesthetic judgment is different in that it is rendered instantly. One look at the interface is enough to say whether it is attractive or not. The user will not find fault with usability if the interface is designed really beautifully. One cannot agree that the user first of all needs simplicity. Ease of use is not a decisive criterion when choosing one or another software.
You need to understand that the interaction of man and computer is a complex and multifactorial process. A very important factor is usability. But the aesthetic factor is no less important.
What is beautiful is good: the role of the aesthetic factor in assessing the functional convenience of the software
Experimental and psychological research data show: a person is inclined to attribute the usefulness of what seems beautiful to him. The psychological mechanism of this phenomenon has not yet been fully studied, but there are parallels with the well-known phenomenon of attributing socially positive qualities to people with attractive features.
Knowledge about the formation of impressions based on physical information can and should be used when creating interfaces. It can be assumed that the appearance of the interface leads us to the conclusion that it has certain characteristics, is convenient or inconvenient in work, etc.
To illustrate the effect on the formation of aesthetic appeal of a thing on the formation of subjective perceptions of quality, let us quote another quote from Donald Norman: “Wash and polish your car — doesn’t it drive better?” )
In the formation of ideas about the convenience of a particular thing, a great role is played by the feeling of satisfaction from its use. Ideas about the convenience of the interface are largely due to its aesthetic appeal. Creating truly user-friendly applications is impossible without close collaboration between developers and aesthetics specialists and designers.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/117313/
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