1. Gestalt
Principles in Usable Interfaces
Alan Ho
04 Jan 2010

2. Stands for
Configuration, integral
structure or form
in the German language

3. Humans tend to order
experiences in regular,
orderly, symmetric and
simple manner

4. In a nutshell, humans look
for patterns in mental
processing.
The better this pattern is
organized, the easier and
faster the design is
perceived.

5. In Gestalt, there are
5 Main Laws of Groupings

6. Gestalt Laws of Groupings
Proximity
The closer objects are to one another, the more likely people are able to mentally group them together
Similarity
People link together parts of the visual field that are similar in color, lightness, texture, shape, or any other quality
Continuity
Seeing flow of elements continuing in a particular direction, rather than making an abrupt turn
Closure
People perceive whole objects from incomplete and imperfect forms
Common Fate
Leads people to group together objects that move in the same direction

7. Central to Gestalt approach is the
law of prägnanz which states that
people intuitively prefer the simplest,
most stable of possible organizations.

8. Have you considered
Gestalt in your design
process yet