Creating structure is one of the key tasks for designers, but if we are creators of structure, what sort of structures are we creating?
Architecture influences the way we move through physical space. We create places for reflection and zones for action within perceptual boundaries and physical constraints.
Information architecture performs the same function, creating virtual spaces – patterns - whose purpose is communicated through space, form, colour, image, typography and behaviour.
These structures define entrances and exits to spaces where we engage in actions in both real and virtual worlds. Well-designed spaces and declare their purpose and encourage us to interact, to perform and to create.
The visual structure we build into our designs affects the way people see them. Is our visual hierarchy working so that readers find what they need, and in the right order? Are elements appropriated weighted so that their relationships are clear? Do people gravitate toward the most important information on the page, or are there elements that distract? Can our audience clearly see what to do next?
We begin to nudge the user experience by developing a conceptual structure that describes a consistent visual language. Our primary goal must be clarity. Does this graphic help to illustrate the idea, or make it more confusing? Communicating through words and images influences the way we think about things, and over time, becomes part of our brand.
Social structures influence the way we interact with others and set out the opportunities for social interaction. This area is one that designers have only just begun to investigate. Can you poke people? Favorite something they did? Engage with a brand? How is reputation managed? Are you able to import or export your relationships, and (more importantly) does it make sense to do so?
Of course these structures do not function in isolation. They overlap, intermingle, and co-exist. As designers we need to recognise the most appropriate patterns, and how to use them in our designs.
Build well.
