Exploring the Aesthetic Effects of the Golden Ratio in the Design of Interactive Products

We conducted an experiment to test whether the use of the golden ratio as a design guideline in interactive products has aesthetic value, that is, whether it influences users’ aesthetic evaluation of the product and their preferences for it over other product of the same type. We studied two types of products (mobile phones and web pages), each was wireframed in two design versions and then manipulated systematically to form various width × height proportions, including the golden ratio. Each of ninety-one participants evaluated one design version of each product by means of pairwise comparisons of all proportions. The results support the golden ratio hypothesis regarding the mobile devices but not regarding the web page designs. We discuss possible explanations for these results

Image Analysis to Assess the Impact of Photo Aesthetics on Online Consumer Click-through: An Empirical Study

Determinants of consumer’s shopping behavior are of long-term interest to researchers. Since product photos directly aid consumers’ understanding of products, retailers often put a lot of effort into polishing them. However, there is limited research on the impact of product photos on shopping behavior. This research takes advantage of image-processing techniques to study product photos’ impact. These techniques allow us to investigate a large set of photo characteristics simultaneously in an empirical study. To rule out possible confounding factors, we use a real company dataset from a social shopping Website, which has a simple interface allowing consumers to judge products mainly based on their photos. We employ two-stage nested logit model embedded with differences-in-differences approach and examine product photo characteristics from the aspects of color, composition, complexity, and model face. We found that consumers prefer to click product photos with a warmer color, a larger key object, appropriate complexity

Der Einfluss von User Interface-Attributen auf die Ästhetik

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird eine empirische Studie mit 40 Teilnehmern präsentiert, die zum einen das Zusammenwirken von verschiedenen Definitionen der User Interface-Ästhetik und zum anderen den Einfluss von Symmetrie, Buntheit und visueller Komplexität auf die UI-Ästhetik untersucht. Die UI-Ästhetik wird dabei in intuitive (erster Eindruck) und reflektive (überlegte) Ästhetik unterteilt. Die reflektive Ästhetik wiederum gliedert sich in klassische Ästhetik (Attraktivität) und expressive Ästhetik (Kreativität). Als Untersuchungsgegenstand wird ein Korpus aus Webseiten erstellt. Es kann gezeigt werden, dass die intuitive ästhetische Beurteilung stark mit der reflektiven korreliert. Symmetrie korreliert positiv und visuelle Komplexität negativ mit allen drei Definitionen. Für Buntheit ergeben sich differenzierte Ergebnisse. Abschließend werden Implikationen für das User Interface-Design diskutiert

Neural Cognition and Affective Computing on Cyber Language

Characterized by its customary symbol system and simple and vivid expression patterns, cyber language acts as not only a tool for convenient communication but also a carrier of abundant emotions and causes high attention in public opinion analysis, internet marketing, service feedback monitoring, and social emergency management. Based on our multidisciplinary research, this paper presents a classification of the emotional symbols in cyber language, analyzes the cognitive characteristics of different symbols, and puts forward a mechanism model to show the dominant neural activities in that process. Through the comparative study of Chinese, English, and Spanish, which are used by the largest population in the world, this paper discusses the expressive patterns of emotions in international cyber languages and proposes an intelligent method for affective computing on cyber language in a unified PAD (Pleasure-Arousal-Dominance) emotional space

A quantitative aesthetic measurement method for product appearance design

Product appearance is one of the crucial factors that influence consumers’ purchase decisions. The attractiveness of product appearance is mainly determined by the inherent aesthetics of the design composition related to the arrangement of visual design elements. Hence, it is critical to study and improve the arrangement of visual design elements for product appearance design. Strategies that apply aesthetic design principles to assist designers in effectively arranging visual design elements are widely acknowledged in both academia and industry. However, applying aesthetic design principles relies heavily on the designer’s perception and experience, while it is rather challenging for novice designers. Meanwhile, it is hard to measure and quantify design aesthetics in designing artefacts when designers refer to existing successful designs. In this regard, this study aims to introduce a method that assists designers in applying aesthetic design principles to improve the attractiveness of product appearance. Furthermore, formulas for aesthetic measurement based on aesthetic design principles are also developed, and it makes an early attempt to provide quantified aesthetic measurements of design artefacts. A case study on camera design was conducted to demonstrate the merits of the proposed method where the improved strategies for the camera appearance design offer insights for concept generation in product appearance design based on aesthetic design principles

Instagram Likes for Architectural Photos Can Be Predicted by Quantitative Balance Measures and Curvature

“3,058 people like this.” In the digital age, people very commonly indicate their preferences by clicking a Like button. The data generated on the photo-sharing platform Instagram potentially represents a vast, freely accessible resource for research in the field of visual experimental aesthetics. Therefore, we compiled a photo database using images of five different Instagram accounts that fullfil several criteria (e.g., large followership, consistent content). The final database consists of about 700 architectural photographs with the corresponding liking data generated by the Instagram community. First, we aimed at validating Instagram Likes as a potential measure of aesthetic appeal. Second, we checked whether previously studied low-level features of “good” image composition also account for the number of Instagram Likes that architectural photographs received. We considered two measures of visual balance and the preference for curvature over angularity. In addition, differences between images with “2D” vs. “3D” appearance became obvious. Our findings show that visual balance predicts Instagram Likes in more complex “3D” photographs, with more balance meaning more Likes. In the less complex “2D” photographs the relation is reversed, more balance led to fewer Likes. Moreover, there was a general preference for curvature in the Instagram database. Together, our study illustrates the potential of using Instagram Likes as a measure of aesthetic appeal and provides a fruitful methodological basis for future research

Visual balance in engineering design for aesthetic value

The aesthetic aspect of a functional product is growing to be an important reason for the consumer’s choice to buy the product. Despite this importance, aesthetics has not generally been incorporated into engineering design which makes much sense of functional and ergonomic designs. The study presented in this thesis aims to remedy this observed gap. The study focuses on the integration of aesthetic attributes with functional attributes of a product and on the quantification of the aesthetic principle from fine arts into design variables of the product. In particular, two hypotheses underlie this study: (1) design variables can be classified in terms of their relevance to functional, ergonomic, and aesthetic attributes, and (2) a particular aesthetic principle, namely visual balance, helps to achieve an improved aesthetic product.The cell phone is used to ground this study. A statistic experiment using the cell phone product positively tests the first hypothesis, resulting in two design variable which are only related to the aesthetic attribute of the cell phone product. The study of the visual balance principle results in a more general formula which relates design variables to visual balance with consideration of both geometry and color of the cell phone product. Finally, another statistic experiment is designed, which positively tests the second hypothesis.This study concludes: (1) the effective integration of aesthetics with function and ergonomics requires an analysis and classification of design variables, and (2) there is a potential to quantify all aesthetic principles from fine arts into design variables

What makes a satisfying user experience in the context of human-computer interaction?

The purpose of this research is to study the relations of user interface aesthetics, usability, and user experience in the context of human-computer interaction (HCI). This study aims to discover the key factors contributing to a satisfying user experience from the user's perspective. We present a novel user experience model that connects perceived usability, and its subcharacteristics, into perceived user experience, and to the emotional responses it evokes. The ISO/IEC 205010:2011 standard of the International Standardization Organization will act as a framework for the constructed user experience model, combining characteristics from both Product Quality and Quality-in-Use. An empirical study including 149 participants, consisting mostly of young, Finnish university students, will be conducted, in which the respondents evaluate three European festival websites by 28 different user experience aspects per each website. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) will be used as a statistical methodology in order to discover the structural relations between usability subcharacteristics (Appropriateness Recognizability, User Interface Aesthetics, Learnability and Operability) and Satisfying User Experience in HCI

Interactive Genetic Algorithms for Shape Preference Assessment in Engineering Design.

In the design of artifacts it is important to realize that designs are judged according to functional as well as subjective measures. This is especially true in markets where the technology behind the particular artifact is well established, and the costs of production are uniform across the market. In such cases, users are faced with a decision: the selection of one item from amongst a broad range of similar offerings. The shape of an object, its geometric features, can be one element of the artifact that may elevate it above the competition in user choice. The preference that users have for artifact shape is not a scientifically understood field. Such studies and pursuits are generally the province of artists and industrial designers, who are quite adept at applying their intuition and skills to assess markets and design products to fit them. However, the shape of an object can also have an important impact on its performance. If this is the case, then engineers must be involved in analyzing the design to ensure that it meets performance and safety criteria. This intersection between the form and the function of an artifact lacks tools and applied methods that can allow designers and producers to make scientifically informed decisions to understand the impact of shape preference on performance and vice versa. This dissertation explores how current preference tools can be applied to the understanding of shape preference, as it relates to a specific artifact. It is shown here that a meaningful quantification of both shape preference and performance can be obtained and used in decision making. It is also shown here that interactive genetic algorithms are a tool capable of understanding shape preference. Further, the capacity for interactive genetic algorithms to enhance creativity is also shown.Ph.D.Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60812/1/jckelly_1.pd