As Mies van der Roe had said, “less is more.” Graphical elegance is often found in simplicity of design and complexity of data. Visually attractive designs also gather their power from content and interpretations beyond the immediate display of some numbers. Yet, there are no compositional principles on how to create a great interface — this checklist serves as a guide:
- Are all intended relationships between elements readily apparent?
- Do the art elements accurately convey the tone of the message?
- Does the design call attention to itself instead of the content?
- Does the display appear cluttered?
- Do all elements have a reason for being?
- Do any elements unintentionally interrupt reading or cause confusion?
- Color should be used to emphasize, not dominate. Does your interface accomplish this?