What is the principle of scale in design?
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Achieving scale is a goal that has been elusive for many digital development practitioners. The mHealth field, for example, has identified the problem of “pilotitis,” or the inability to move initiatives beyond pilot stage. Achieving scale can mean different things in different contexts, but it requires adoption beyond an initiative’s pilot population and often necessitates securing funding or partners that take the initiative to
new communities or regions. Different implementers may define scale as reaching a certain percentage of a population or a certain number of users. Designing for scale means thinking beyond the pilot and making choices that will enable widespread adoption later, as well as determining what will be affordable and usable by a whole country or region, rather than by a few pilot communities. You may need to evaluate the trade-offs among processes that would lead to rapid start-up and implementation
of a shortterm pilot versus those pilots that require more time and planning but lay the foundation for scaling by reducing future work and investment. By designing for scale from the beginning, your initiative can be expanded more easily to new users, markets, regions or countries if the initiative meets user needs and has local impact. Two factors at the forefront of any designer’s toolbox are scale and proportion. They are similar concepts with important differences. Scale refers to the spatial relationship between objects; one with a commonly known size. The baseline used for scale is us; humans ; and our spatial relationship to the world around us. Proportion has a more fluid interpretation. It speaks of the balance between design elements, and how they come together within a space. Designers and architects often link the two concepts to achieve harmonious design. While scale is the relative size of objects, proportion is the relationship between them.
Scale is a designer’s first consideration. This is because it affects everything humans do. Without scale as a benchmark, our lives would become much more challenging. Imagine a chair built six feet tall, or six inches tall. Without human scale, we would end up playing “Goldilocks” to find a fit. Human scale is why we have conventional sizes for objects. “One size fits most” rule tends to apply for features such as chairs, tables and counter-top heights. These objects are scaled based on human anthropometry. Our environments – at home, at work and elsewhere – have been standardized to meet this scale. This makes life, and design much easier. Proportion is a relative of how well objects fit together. It helps achieve that feeling of “righteousness” in a space. While too many objects placed close together make a room seem cluttered and cramped, not enough objects give the impression of cold sparsity. Proportion in design means achieving balance, and balance is key. A proportionate design pleases the eye, and enhances a design. Correct proportion can be achieved through repetition of shapes, colors or textures. Personal style and preference also contribute to striking the right proportional balance. Proportion in design is relative, it is subjective, and so it differs with individual preference. Having an “eye for design” comes down to being able to find the right fit, which is also dependent on preferences, intentions and opinions.
Luminance of an object also helps in establishing proportion. This includes both natural and artificial light. Cool white lighting can pair with square shapes and a cooler color palette for modern corporate environments. For hospitality spaces or at home, warmer lighting with rounder shapes gives a more relaxed, intimate feel. Light can attract or detract attention from areas. Light can be used as a tool to highlight areas of focus such as art. The absence of light can hide away areas of utility, such as a storage area. Light affects the perception of space, so successful proportions depend on efficient lighting solutions. Understanding scale and proportion are important in keeping a design balanced. Great design requires a thorough awareness of these design principles. Collage Consultants know that interactions and relationships between these elements need consideration. The details of a space add up to have a profound effect on the space as a whole. This starts with proper consultation of scale and proportion. Contact us today to get started. Written by : Wafa AlJabal Wafa holds a strong belief that successful architecture should elevate user experience beyond expectations and feels that, the impact upon our daily lives, by how where we live is designed, is often underestimated. Share post:What is meant by scale in design?What is scale in graphic design? Scale refers to the relative size of a design element in comparison to another element. As designer Steven Bradley wrote, “A single object has no scale until it's seen in comparison with something else.”
What are the two main principles of design at scale?Scale and proportion are both design elements that have to do with size. Scale is the size of one object in relation to the other objects in a design or artwork. Proportion refers to the size of the parts of an object in relationship to other parts of the same object.
What is scale in principles of art?Scale refers to the overall physical size of an artwork or objects in the artwork. We always relate scale to the size of the human body - how big or small the piece is in relation to us. An artist may decide to use a scale which is different from life-sized and this will have an impact on how it feels.
How do you scale a design?5 ways to scale your design when you're a small team. Look beyond the digital space for inspiration. ... . Make a redesign an excuse to align messaging. ... . Get the whole company involved in user testing. ... . Don't just focus on the data (bear with me) ... . Embrace the fact that you're (almost) always wrong.. |
