2018-19
A research experiment to explore the effect of aesthetics on a user’s cognition using low-fidelity models.
| Tags | UX Design, Interface Design |
|---|---|
| Research methods | User Interviews, User Testing, Quantitative Analysis |
| Primary tools | RoboRealm, Rhino3D, Python and Adobe Suite |
The design of the information within an environment can manipulate a user's perception.
Through conversations with users, it was discovered that the aesthetics of indoor spaces, particularly public areas, has a significant impact on how the occupants and commuters feel while functioning in those spaces. An understanding of how to engineer this relationship can assist in identifying the fundamental principles of spatial design, which can be used for developing extended reality software applications.
The Cubbon Park metro station in Bengaluru was chosen as the testing site for user testing. A self-experiment involving exposure to various VR environments for a set amount of time was designed. Each environment was created using a different visual language. A non-VR version of the test was also conducted with a randomly selected group of commuters. The analysis of the data supported the earlier inference, showing that specific aspects of the design, such as symmetry and line density, triggered specific psychological responses that were consistent among different users suggesting an objective relation between the two.
Site reference images
The collection comprises low-fidelity interventions that are designed to inhabit the indoor space at the site. These interventions are in the form of user movement patterns and aim to create the aesthetic of play. The use of materials, colours, textures, scales, symmetries, angles and rhythms are carefully considered to stimulate the mindset of play in the commuters.