Brian:
Ch. 5, Difference:
This chapter, Maeda touches on differences. Differences between visuals, audio, and touch, and explains that the reason why we feel a particular way about something is contributed by it’s difference from other similar things. We have learned how to appreciate something better when we can compare it to something else. It is a fundamental aspect of awareness; seeing the difference in things and making a choice based on what we feel.
There is a clear economic benefit to adopting a strategy on simplicity. In a world of complexity, simplicity offers an easy and less complicated solution. However, without the presence of complexity, simplicity would not be as soothing. Without one, you definitely cannot have the other.
Ch. 6, Context:
The context of items and their surroundings are just as important as the focus on the item itself. Realizing an object or entity’s context helps to understand the actual object in question. Here Maeda makes an analogy to a light bulb vs. laser beam. While a laser beam is focused with great precision, it leaves its surroundings completely in the dark. A light bulb illuminates it’s surroundings, while still shining a focus on it’s main target. I think this is important to keep in mind once pushing on in this semester as to not lose focus of our context, as it will allow us to get more complex with our visualizations, and we can rely on our context to simplify things.
John Maeda also speaks about the use of white space, and as a designer this use of white space is more than likely intentional. A banker or writer may see white space as something that is incomplete, or unused. However, as a designer, the use of white space is a tool in that it funnels the audience into a specific area without actually telling them where to look. When there is less we appreciate everything much more. White space allows the foreground to stand out from the background.
The last part of this chapter struck a chord and makes complete sense to me. While complexity implies the feeling of being lost, not knowing what to make of this complicated object, simplicity implies the feeling of being found. What is most important, though, is finding the tradeoff between being completely lost and completely found, without influencing the audience to the point where the true value of the experience has vanished. The user must explore on their own, but that’s not to say there can’t be supplementary assistance along the way.
Tom:
LAW 5 Differences
Chapter five discusses the ways complexity and simplicity need one another in order for us to recognize them all together. The idea that we would never know what was simple if all we knew was complex creates a relationship between the two that must met. Maeda speaks of a rhythm that exisits between simplicity and complexity, and refers to two paintings, one being an all black canvas and the other - a Jackson Pollock interpretation. Both express complex and simple emotions however, if they were combined, the variety would keep our attention prolonged through the rhythm of their differences.
LAW 6 Context
Maeda brings up a good point about focusing on the “nothing” as a designer. What may seem to be most important might shadow over everything else surrounding it. He made a great analogy of a light bulb acting as an illuminator for everything around itself, verses a laser beam which only enhances one single point. It brings up the same ideas of lateral thinking, one will more likely strike oil by drilling several holes laterally rather than drilling one all the way down (thank you Douglas Higgins).
The end of the chapter touches base on keeping it familiar without getting boring, and maintaining the unknown without getting lost. We as designers are in tune to simplicity, using this in large amounts can create a feeling of being too lost. Balancing complexity and simplicity to create what Maeda states as being “comfortably lost” is the key to developing that rhythm mentioned in chapter 5.
Will:
Law 5 / Differences
John Maeda touches base on how complexity and simplicity counterbalance each other. Among all of the business cards he has received over the years he speaks of a specific card that he received from a designer named Mori Hiroaki. Even though the card has no setemental value to him he has kept this card over all the others because it is completely different from anything hes seen. Nothing he has seen has the same size proportion or characteristics.
This is a great example to explain how simplicity and complexity help counterbalance each other, even in a marketing world. Certain people prefer certain object for their simplicity or complexity. For instance, my father like to use a Macbook Pro as his leisure computer. He typically uses this for checking e-mail, listening to music, and watching movies. However, when he is doing something work related he cannot use anything else except for a PC. He says that the functions he uses on a PC does not compare to a Mac, which is completely understandable.
Law 6 / Context
In the first part of the chapter, Maeda discusses the difference of “focus” and “narrowness”. Like his laser and lightbulb comparison, designers need to include the details that are left in the shadows of what might seem the most important thing. Such as influences in design. In a personal perspective, surrounding influences are a big part of my design. The outcome of my design all depends on my current mood, music selection, and my ratio of up and down time.
Maeda discusses the use of white space and its importance. White space is a necessity in good design. Have a balance of white space and content on a page will help guide the viewer through the design. In the same way it could invite chaos, the way white space is used could support an idea of the design. We use white space for the same reason we keep our personal spaces clean, it morally keeps in higher spirits and puts in a better mood.
Towards the end of the chapter, Maeda speaks of the feeling of complexity and simplicity (relating complexity to the feeling of being lost and simplicity to the feeling of being found). This could be related to how Moxie is set up. Within the complexity of all the different sections of the proposed application, it is simplified with the hub which makes it easier to navigate through the complexity. One thing that pops in my head not mentioned by Maeda is splitting up the complexity into various sections making it simlistic.
