Information Design Journal - Current Issue

Abstract

User Interface (UI) design and User Experience (UX) design are essential for the creation of digital products such as web and application designs (Digital Product Design), as they influence user interaction and engagement. UX and UI contribute primarily to aesthetics and visual communication, whereas interactive disciplines focus on usability, interactivity, and user experience. There has been considerable interest in user experience among researchers, which is largely due to the ever-increasing use of the internet in both domestic and industrial contexts. The fields of user interfaces (UIs) and user experience (UX) in particular, have received substantial attention. This is because both UI and UX contribute to an effective interactive visual design and are key to the success of any electronic product. The current study presents an overview of research into UX and UI over the last three decades (from 1990 to 2023). A total of 1,902 publications from this period were identified from the Scopus database. These publications were visualized and analyzed using VOSviewer and Microsoft Excel, enabling the most up to date research on UX to be brought to light. The results from this study provide an assessment of the current developments in UX and UI, as well as directions for future research on a number of aspects of digital product design.

Abstract

This research explores typographic adjustments, specifically letter width, and their impact on patients with various visual conditions. These patients were divided into three groups of interest according to the visual condition they presented: blurry vision (N = 15), central vision loss (N = 11) and peripheral vision loss (N = 15). There was also a control group (N = 14). In an acuity experiment, six typeface variations were tested. Point sizes were used as a measurement of acuity. Results revealed that larger letter widths affected each one of the groups differently. These findings align with recent literature, which highlights that the effect typographic variables exert on readers varies depending on their visual condition.

Abstract

Digital maps are essential tools for modern wayfinding, often relying on live GPS location features for successful use. However, complex urban environments can make it difficult for users to spatially locate themselves and navigate areas such as building entrances and vertical pathways. This investigation used a campus environment as a case study to examine the impact of visualized map information that is often overlooked in current digital maps. A multi-stage user-centered design process was employed to develop and test a redesigned map. Results show that the implementation of additional map visualization design practices significantly improves navigation performance.

Abstract

This research investigates design-relevant information to accompany physical material samples, addressing a gap in educational product/industrial design practice and materials library usage. Implementing Research Through Design (RTD), existing information solutions are surveyed (Stage 1); ten material information tag ‘research artefacts’ are generated (Stage 2); and artefact evaluations are carried out by 38 undergraduates, leading to a Design Specification Master List (Stage 3). A finalized tag is designed based on the research findings. The study contributes knowledge on the content and presentation of materials information, demonstrates a systematic approach to evaluating research artefacts within an RTD framework, and discusses its applicability across conventional and emerging material contexts and practices.

This article reviews Design for people: Stories about how (and why) we all can work together to make things better978-1-93892-285-5