Gestalt principles have previously served as qualitative guidelines for good visual design in art, architecture, and product design. This paper introduces a formal method to quantify classical Gestalt principles (proximity, continuity, closure, symmetry, parallelism, and similarity) for two-dimensional product representations. With the approach, designers use their judgment to divide a 2D representation of a new concept or existing design into its key atomistic elements, identify the most appropriate Gestalt principles that apply to the grouping of those elements, and then can objectively quantify the design’s adherence to those principles using mathematical functions of the design parameters. This quantification provides a tool to augment a design team’s own subjective interpretations in evaluating and communicating a product’s visual appearance at any stage of or throughout the design process.
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September 2015
Technical Briefs
Quantification of Classical Gestalt Principles in Two-Dimensional Product Representations
José E. Lugo,
José E. Lugo
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: jose.lugo2@upr.edu
University of Puerto Rico
,Mayagüez Campus
,Mayagüez, PR 00681
e-mail: jose.lugo2@upr.edu
1Corresponding author.
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James P. Schmiedeler,
James P. Schmiedeler
Fellow ASME
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: schmiedeler.4@nd.edu
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame
,Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: schmiedeler.4@nd.edu
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Stephen M. Batill,
Stephen M. Batill
Fellow ASME
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: batill@nd.edu
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame
,Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: batill@nd.edu
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Laura Carlson
Laura Carlson
Search for other works by this author on:
José E. Lugo
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: jose.lugo2@upr.edu
University of Puerto Rico
,Mayagüez Campus
,Mayagüez, PR 00681
e-mail: jose.lugo2@upr.edu
James P. Schmiedeler
Fellow ASME
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: schmiedeler.4@nd.edu
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame
,Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: schmiedeler.4@nd.edu
Stephen M. Batill
Fellow ASME
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
e-mail: batill@nd.edu
Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering,
University of Notre Dame
,Notre Dame, IN 46556
e-mail: batill@nd.edu
Laura Carlson
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Design Theory and Methodology Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL DESIGN. Manuscript received June 19, 2014; final manuscript received June 24, 2015; published online July 14, 2015. Assoc. Editor: Kristina Shea.
J. Mech. Des. Sep 2015, 137(9): 094502 (4 pages)
Published Online: September 1, 2015
Article history
Received:
June 19, 2014
Revision Received:
June 24, 2015
Online:
July 14, 2015
Citation
Lugo, J. E., Schmiedeler, J. P., Batill, S. M., and Carlson, L. (September 1, 2015). "Quantification of Classical Gestalt Principles in Two-Dimensional Product Representations." ASME. J. Mech. Des. September 2015; 137(9): 094502. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4030988
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