Ordering Disorder: Grid Design for the New World – Khoi Vinh
Grids make sense of the world. Paper size – A1-A6 paper size system, each smaller size is half of the last.
The Grid = Harmony
The grid helps the user predict where the new information they seek will be found.
The simpler the grid, the more effective it is.
Steps in the design process:
- Research
- Understand the constraints
- Wireframes or another activity that helps you figure out functionality and build agreement on whet needs to be to be built.
- Preparatory design Sketches, calculations, page sketches
- Sketch throughout the project.
- Problem solving should come before the aesthetics.
- Visual Design
- Code
On the golden rectangle
It is sometimes useful to divide things by 1.618, but in practice Vinh has never seen someone use the golden rectangle extensively when designing a website. The rule of thirds is more important.
Constructing the grid
- A viewport of 960×650 is still a good size to shoot for. (This talk focused on a fixed grid).
- Units in multiples of 8 are useful. People are most comfortable processing between 60 and 80 characters per line, so keep this in mind when laying out page.
- The grid is about constraint, and adding constraint can help with design.
- Use the grid to design a stream of information.
Responsive web design is really good, but a little showy. What is really important is satisfying what the user expects. What they want is access and speed, usefulness, and great content.