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by Mark Drespling
One of the major debates I find myself having, both with myself and with colleagues over the years, is in the form vs. function conversation. Which is more important? Which one should lead a project? When does one end and the other begin? Ask a dozen designers and developers and you are likely to get a dozen different answers. Usually, they all are right from their own unique perspectives.
My perspective has generally been one where the two are united. In the case of web site design, long-term success is realized through the effective balance of both. A site that is stunning but doesn’t work is an immediate failure. A site that works flawlessly but doesn’t captivate and engage an audience over time runs the risk of becoming a virtual ghost town of a site. Our Interactive practice wrestles with this type of issue almost daily.
A recent article, In Defense of Eye Candy, delves into this subject at great length. In the article, Stephen P. Anderson describes the various dimensions and characteristics of aesthetics and beauty and how they influence and persuade individuals to use and appreciate interfaces on the Web and in the real world. As he asks questions about what we see and how it affects behavior, it becomes clearer and clearer that people are greatly informed about products and interfaces by the way they look, and that perception, while not always everything, is often the determining factor in a person’s choice to use one thing over another regardless of ease-of-use or convenience.
I leave you with a couple questions for discussion. What are your experiences with aesthetics and usability? Have you found yourself choosing one thing over another even though it is not the simpleset, easiest, or most reliable option available? Or, does the way something works, regardless of the “pretty factors”, the determining point that you make your choices?
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