Gestalt theory provides a psychology-based framework for understanding how people perceive visual components as organized patterns and meaningful designs. Applying the various principles of Gestalt theory can help designers create interfaces that are aesthetically pleasing, intuitive and user-centric.
Some key Gestalt principles useful for modern interface design include:
Similarity
Viewers identify and group elements that share visual characteristics like shape, size, color or orientation. Similarity builds association helping relate disparate components.
Continuation
The eyes intuitively follow a path when seeing a set of objects arranged linearly or curving lines and shapes. Viewers subconsciously continue the visual pattern and flow in the direction it is headed.
Closure
Users perceptually fill in missing information based on experience. Even when parts of a shape or pattern are removed, people tend to visualize the whole by closing the gaps. This promotes familiarity.
Figure/Ground
Relationships emerge between foreground and background objects. The key subject that viewers focus on is seen as the figure while the surrounding area becomes the ground. Strategic use of contrast separates the two.
Proximity
Objects placed closer together are perceived as being more related than objects placed farther apart. Proximity denotes groups and connections.
Common Fate
Objects moving in the same direction are seen as more related than elements moving differently. Animations can leverage this to draw connections.
By training designers about these perceptual tendencies described in Gestalt theory, user interfaces can tap into innate visual processing capabilities that humans already possess. This allows cleaner, efficient and appealing designs that feel intuitive rather than forced. Understanding core psychology is key for mastering user-centric patterns.
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