information from textbook

The following information is part of our textbook, for some remarks that will be useful in order to make the map.

General:
Searching for information: three levels
1. Features
2. Patterns of features
3. Objects
Focusing on a task makes a person filter information only for that task, using the ‘just-in-time’ strategy. Predicting how a person would decide on left or right might help anticipating to it on the design.
Basic pop-out features:
• Color: hue; lightness
• Elementary shape: size; stretch; orientation
• Spatial grouping (same as large shape)
• Curve versus straight
Use only basic (low level) textures for differences
Create for one thing a large scale (area) & small scale structure (icons, details) to make it easily found.
Color pop-out:
• Contrast (differences are better perceived)
• The larger the chromatic difference the easier to spot
o Similarity to background also supports this
o Highest color sensitivity on yellow, lowest on blue
• Saturated colors create stronger signals
o recommended desaturated colors for large areas and saturated colors for icons
o one color on b&w background works very well
• Don’t forget the background has a color as well
• Luminance
o Luminance has higher capacity for detail than chromatic
o The lighter the background, the lighter the scope of best perceived differences in luminance
Stronger signals attract more attention of the viewer.
Colors mostly used for information categories (on map) – maximum amount of colors 6-12
Narrative:
• Action lines can suggest motion in one direction
• Cartoon boxes provides medium control of narrative in order of display
• Diagrams and pictures provides low control