A brand’s success ultimately rests on how well it understands its customers’ behavior. And the ability to adapt to the evolving needs in a timely fashion. There is a lot that goes into understanding the audience. However, after the initial engagement happens. It is the subtle cues aided by visual design that cements the brand’s identity in the customer's mind.
Visual design is the arrangement of elements to give off a specific feeling to the audience subconsciously. The quality of the product or services, or the positive impact on the customer’s day-to-day life counts for nothing unless the visual design is in accordance with the intended purpose. Visual design is a subtle story that is conveyed to the customer after the initial engagement and before the final sale is made.
There are no hard rules. No right or wrong method of visual design. Only the scale of effectiveness by which the emotions are evoked in the audience. However, given how tight knit human psychology is to the prescription of the world around it. There are some fundaments to keep in mind while designing the interactive environment for maximum engagement and finally, sale.
Elements of Visual Design and Their Respective Effects on The Human Behavior.
Contrast
Naturally, our eyes are drawn to the area of highest contrast. Let it be the contrast of size. (A small exhibition with large framing elements). The contrast of colors (Monochromatic schemes surrounded by colorful elements). The contrast of shapes. (Softer, circular arrangements broken by angular sections). But contrast is a double-edged sword. Too much contrast will make the deliberate points of focus dissolve into white noise.
When done correctly, the contrast will naturally draw the customer to the points of interest. The quickly your audience can recognize the points of interest the quickly they can engage and accept the product in their life.
Harmony
Our mind works by grouping similar things together to decrease cognitive stress. Using this; It is best to group the products that go together (By needs or purpose). Therefore, the customer is more inclined to buy them together even if there is no immediate need for that.
The focus needs to be on grouping products or design elements that invoke similar emotions even if they don't logically go together.
Patterns
This is more dependent on the type of audience that the brand engages. Patterns are essentially the human psyche pulling order from disorder. Seeing patterns even if there are no intentional designs. However, different people would be drawn to different patterns and thus the visual design involving patterns must cater to the specific type of audience.
An audience concerned with the utility of the product would desire a more hierarchical arrangement. While more high-end customers would enjoy more subtle patterns leading them to what they need and, on the way, they are more likely to pick up other products. The most important thing to keep in mind in case of patterns would be subtlety.
Hick’s law
This can be simply put as the law of options. The more options that are provided to the customer. The longer it takes for them to make a decision. The other side of this coin is the need for connection with the individual. So, this factor is subject to some research depending upon the brand and its target audience. Giving too many options would result in clutter and a lack of decision-making by the customer. However, too few options would result in the inability to cater to the customer on an individual level. There is a need for continuous calibration of strategy.
Shape language
Shape language is how certain shapes or design elements subconsciously impact their perception. How the shape design is implemented depends on the customer base and brand identity. A company with its major customer base being children would implement rounder shapes and avoid any sharp or highly contrasting structures. While a sports brand or an interior design firm catering to formal design would lean heavily on square shapes and simpler parallel running design elements to create a sense of security and dependability.
Color
Running parallel to shape design is color. There are 'n' number of color schemes; color families that invoke certain emotions from the audience. But, ultimately what colors to use would mostly be depended upon the context in which it is used. The same red color that would inspire creativity and bold expression in a creatively fueled establishment would give a sense of danger or alarm where the main concern is reliability and security. Simultaneously, bright contrasting colors would be used by brands focused on innovation and creativity while pastel shades would give an air of professionalism.
Visual design is one of the most implemented tools because of its independence from outside factors. It doesn’t matter if the brand is mostly online or a startup or even a giant multinational corporation. The principles of visual design only need intelligent implementation al and knowledge of the target audience to work effectively. But like anything with a creative flair, visual design needs to be used in moderation. A product of deliberate decision-making.
