Better by Design: Design Process
by Shannon Reinert
This month’s article will focus on some helpful design processes Wayne Hunt outlines in his new book, Environmental Graphics: Projects and Process. Hunt is founding principal of Hunt Design Assoc., a Pasadena, CA-based consulting firm that specializes in creating graphic designs for buildings, places and spaces (see ST, May 2004, page 88).
In the section titled, “Designing in Human Scale,” Hunt says that much of the manmade world is scaled for people—nearly everything not provided by nature relates, in some way, to the size of the human body.
Signage and graphics are especially dependent on direct-size relationships to people, and how they perceive, access and interact with their surroundings. Thus, designers must understand, and have a working knowledge of, human scale.
Hunt emphasizes the following key components pertaining to human scale:
- Objects that are the same size as people aren’t very interesting.
- Objects that are larger or smaller than people are inherently interesting.
- Human scale dominates small objects, which often have a personal feel. Often, extremely small objects appear precious, even jewel-like.
- Large objects dominate human scale, and can project a heroic sense.
- A sense of human scale easily gets lost around very large objects.
- Objects for use by a single person can be created on a smaller, more personal level.
- To seem appropriate, objects intended for groups of people need to be larger.
Similarly, kids’ environments require the human-scale approach, but at a reduced size. In another area, “Scale and Design in Children’s Environments,” Hunt clarifies that children aren’t simply small adults. Due to their limited understanding of words and their meanings, kids are more responsive to physical-design qualities. Furthermore, kids tend to interact with, and value, visual stimulation outside of their cone of vision.
Regarding children’s environments, Hunt offers the following design insights:
- Although children have their own cone of vision, many principles resemble those applicable to adults.
- Children are more flexible than adults when using their cone of vision.
- Kids respond and relate to things that are larger than they are.
- Cutout shapes and dimensional objects appeal to children.
- Kids naturally interact with dimensional environments, especially those designed in kids’ scale.
- Kids are especially attracted to large-scale words and word-picture combinations, as well as moving objects and/or parts. In a kids’ environment, exhibit graphics should be designed to be seen by kids and read by adults.
Finally, in the section titled, “Human Factors in Perceiving, the Environment,” Hunt notes that effective graphic design is influenced by the way people see, move and relate, physically, to an environment. Basically, because our field of vision is centered on the horizon, or straight ahead, we tend to see things directly in front of us more easily. On the other hand, non-centered objects or information is usually less visible and less important. The farther away an object is from the center of our cone of vision, the less noticeable it becomes.
Hunt draws the following conclusions:
- The comfortable cone of vision is approximately 15′ above and below the direct line of sight.
- Usually, effective signage is sized and placed within a viewer’s cone of vision.
- Objects placed outside a viewer’s cone of vision are less effective and meaningful.
- As an object’s size decreases, relative to the cone of vision, it becomes less important to a viewer’s eye.
- Exceptions to the cone of vision are best done on the high side.
- Unless information is angled upwards, viewing and reading below 30° is uncomfortable.
- Information above 30° should be angled downwards, as seen in instrument displays and control rooms. These same principles apply to exhibit and retail-display information.