The Principles of Design: Repetition and Unity LESSON 9 Module 3: Designing for Communication The Principles of Design: Repetition and Unity

Lesson Overview In this lesson, you will: Explore the principles of repetition and unity in Web design Lesson 9 Overview

Guiding Questions How does repetition contribute to memory? In what way does unity impact your definition of “teamwork”? Use the guiding questions as a class starter, allowing the students time to answer the questions. Discuss student answers to the questions.

Repetition Short-term memory to long-term memory Used constantly in advertising Repeating an idea or image Repetition is how the brain moves information from short-term memory to long-term memory. Advertisers know this and use it to their advantage by repeating images or ideas of the product all the time. As a Web designer, you will want to use the concept too. Repetition in Web design is the repeating of an idea or image.

Repetition Connect the word or idea with a picture Textbooks commonly do this with images, charts, graphs, and drawings Creates a mental picture A simple way to use repetition is to connect a word or concept with an image. Textbooks are known for doing this by placing images, drawings, graphs, and charts near terms and concepts. This also uses the concept talked about earlier where a mental picture is created.

Repetition Repeated use of color Use specific colors in the same way on every page Repeat layout design on succeeding pages Another way to use repetition is through the repeated use of color in a specific way. For example, if you put an important word in red, then always use red for this purpose and only for this purpose. Color and layouts should also be repeated. Most Web sites use more than one page. A designer wants the viewer to know that they are still on the same Web site, but on a different page. By repeating the colors and layout on all the pages, the designer conveys this message to the viewer.

Repetition Works Advertising TV commercials Icons that we immediately recognize Repetition works. Why do you want to create repetition? Because it works. Advertisers use it all the time for product recognition. A question for TV watchers, for how many commercials can you recite the words? Think of all the icons that through our sensory memory we can immediately recognize. It is proven that it works. If you are creating a commercial site, repetition will become a very important concept for you.

Unity Bringing it all together Gestalt Theory: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts Designer wants the whole site to have greater impact than the individual parts The final principle of unity is the way that the designer brings all the information together in the Web site. Think back to the Gestalt Theory. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This is the goal of the Web designer. The designer wants the final Web site to have a greater impact than the individual parts that have been included in the site. If this doesn’t happen, the designer may not be employed long.

Unity Proximity Brings ideas together through their closeness to each other Repetition Provides continuity between pages of the site Proximity and repetition play important roles in the creation of the unity of the Web site. Proximity can be used to bring ideas and concepts together. Repetition can be used to provide the unity between different pages of the Web site.

What color was the traffic light??? Assignment Use the selected Web site Analyze it according to the principles of repetition Analyze it according to the principles of unity Write a justification for each Discuss the assignment as listed above. Students should be given time in class to complete work on the Principles Analysis Project. This gives the classroom teacher time to evaluate the level of student understanding of the assignment and to make changes or clarifications as needed. Remind students of the due date for the assignment.

Lesson Review How can the use of repetition and unity contribute to effective communication in a Web site? This is the last slide of the presentation.