Balancing User-Interface To Create The Sense Of Completion

User-interface or UI, is something that you see. To create a great one, there is no magic involved. But if you see an appealing UI, you believe that there is some secret ingredient. It's there and you know it, and you know it when you see one.

A good UI is something that can be characterized; it's something that gives experience based on the connection from a product to the design for end-user. For web design, UI should not just typically looks nice, but should also work properly.

But again, design is subjective. We all may have different opinions when we're facing a design. Not everyone likes abstract paintings, for example. But a well-designed UI is a fact when it can solve problems. We all have the instinctive reactions to great design and there is no denying that such ability is what makes us human.

The Equilibrium Within Web Design

Rock balancing

Design is something that you see. As it's felt by our senses, web design is easier to digest than command-line and text-based interfaces web developers should know. Design on the web involves shapes, sizes and forms. And they include colors and positions.

As we're exposed to various of devices with different screen sizes, web design should become something that can distinguish an interface design and interaction design. This resembles the differences between user interface and user-experience (UI and UX) They're all dependent on one another, and should work together to create a masterpiece.

In the digital world, a well-designed website is something that you see and feel. It's something that is characterized as the presentation of the platform. It may not be the dominant part of the website/app, but it's that interface which stands in the background, quietly speaking its own language through user-experience.

In other words, a well-executed web design is able to give a seamless user-experience and doesn't distract you. It's making things easier for you to find and perform certain task.

Consider the elements below as your starting point:

  • Emphasis: Know the center on interest in your design. This refers to the place where viewers' eyes first land.
  • Pattern: The repetition of a design element. Know where it should be placed, when and why.
  • Movement: The placement change of elements in a suggested rhythm. How long and how fast.
  • Proportion: The ratio or size relationship of one part against a whole perspective. How big.
  • Variety: How units complement each other. Different elements should work together to create something interesting.
  • Balance: The equality. It can be related to symmetrical, asymmetrical or radial.
  • Unity: Components should work together in harmony, giving the sense of completion.


Further reading:
Using The Golden Ratio To Appeal A Design
Using The Rule Of Thirds For Balance And Aesthetic

Creating The Artwork

It all begins with an idea which is then conceptualized. From here, the idea should evolve to be a prototype so it can be tested. With the design seen, any further ideas that either complement or alter, can be made to realization.

Concept use cases to imagine the design against the user. This enables you to know the process in which they flow through the design interface. Crating storyboard is one example to initialize design process. You can set rules up front to make things more practical and easier to manage.

Then comes the moment where you need to choose the guidelines. As a start, you may want to work with consistent primary color palette and a set of fonts and icons. Progress and add more elements only when necessary.

The last thing is to construct the design, based on inputs. Never trust yourself as the creator of a design. Any critics and feedback are indeed needed because as previously mentioned, design is subjective. You may overlook certain aspects, and testing is where someone else points them out for you. So trust your instinct, but not yourself.