After reading the articles I have learned that Louis Henri Sullivan came up with this quote "Form ever follows Function" Which means the function of whatever your developing must come before the form. I believe the form should come before the function because you have to determine what you are developing before you develop it. Once you know what you are going to develop then your ideas for function will fall into place, like second nature. The article written by Nick Finck states that the quote not only means function before form, but both of them are interlocked together. You can't have one without having the other. Each one compliments the other. If you have too much form and not enough function then people probably will think your site is boring. On the other hand, if you have too much function and not enough form. Then it may not be organized for people to navigate the site. You have to use the K.I.S.S formula when building a site. in the article "Form vs. Function: Finding a Balance" "A well-designed site will balance form and function to the point where those elements are invisible to the user." Yes, the users experience should be one that allows the users to go to whatever site for a purpose. Users of a site are not thinking about the form or the function of a site before going to it. They have a purpose in mind; looking up a friend, sending a message, posting a picture etc. It the tools you are providing the user with to allow the user to post pictures easy and care free. The form has to blend with function. In having a good form it makes it easy to find things. It also has to work smoothly. How does it work?(function) Does someone that wants to post a picture have to go to three or four steps. Can it be done in one step? The easier the function is the more likely it will attract people. The more pages (form) on a site you have the more likely you will have more functionality.
After reading about the phrase “form follows function” by Louis Sullivan, I feel that both form and function is needed to construct a successful project. Yet, I feel that function carries a little more weight then form, simply because with out function a form cant be created. Would you design a big oddly shape rock and place it on display without it having a purpose? Do we do anything in our daily lives without a purpose? Even if we had in mind a design we will still have to give it a purpose. Knowing the function of a potential project helps us think of ways to create a form that can carry out its function accurately. However, I also feel that a great designer can create anything (form/shape/method) and later insert the concept of the function into the design. Although this may be considered working backwards, according to Sullivan’s principles that form should always follow function. It may be more chaotic this way, but the choice will ultimately be in the hands of the designer. There is no wrong or right answer. You can start a project with a blueprint in mind or by what you would want it to do. In the end, the project would be crafted by the designers’ principle and if s/he were a smart individual he would balance the two elements of Form and Function.
I still don't have access to post on the blog and I need to go to bed so here is my blog bloat. Sorry I have to post it here
Form tells us what things are and exposes us to the visual aspect of design. Function is the intended purpose of something and its reason for existing. With these definitions in mind I think function is more important. A website may exists (form) but the purpose of that website is what is important to viewers (function).
In “Form vs. Function: Finding the Balance,” Nick Finck says, “Large corporate sites are often packed with functionality, as one can usually find any information needed on them.” He explains that corporate websites aren’t always visually appealing but they contain all the information that one needs. It is pleasant to open a website and have it easily accessible but what is contained on that website is the bigger picture.
I do believe that it is possible to design with only function in mind. When designing a website people know what information they want to have exposed to everyone but don’t always know the layout beforehand. Form helps guide the eye on a website but function is what provides the information. In “What Came First-Form or Function?,” Abhijit Nadgouda says, “function serves as a guide to design the form.” Navigational buttons and aesthetics will help the flow of a website but the true idea behind it is its function, the reason that the website was built. If you take away function and all you have is form, then you remove the reason for building the site in the first place.
(week 1 - form vs. function)
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the articles I have learned that Louis Henri Sullivan came up with this quote "Form ever follows Function" Which means the function of whatever your developing must come before the form. I believe the form should come before the function because you have to determine what you are developing before you develop it. Once you know what you are going to develop then your ideas for function will fall into place, like second nature. The article written by Nick Finck states that the quote not only means function before form, but both of them are interlocked together. You can't have one without having the other. Each one compliments the other. If you have too much form and not enough function then people probably will think your site is boring. On the other hand, if you have too much function and not enough form. Then it may not be organized for people to navigate the site. You have to use the K.I.S.S formula when building a site. in the article "Form vs. Function: Finding a Balance" "A well-designed site will balance form and function to the point where those elements are invisible to the user." Yes, the users experience should be one that allows the users to go to whatever site for a purpose. Users of a site are not thinking about the form or the function of a site before going to it. They have a purpose in mind; looking up a friend, sending a message, posting a picture etc. It the tools you are providing the user with to allow the user to post pictures easy and care free. The form has to blend with function. In having a good form it makes it easy to find things. It also has to work smoothly. How does it work?(function) Does someone that wants to post a picture have to go to three or four steps. Can it be done in one step? The easier the function is the more likely it will attract people. The more pages (form) on a site you have the more likely you will have more functionality.
I liked the article by Nick Finck the best.
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ReplyDeleteAfter reading about the phrase “form follows function” by Louis Sullivan, I feel that both form and function is needed to construct a successful project. Yet, I feel that function carries a little more weight then form, simply because with out function a form cant be created.
ReplyDeleteWould you design a big oddly shape rock and place it on display without it having a purpose? Do we do anything in our daily lives without a purpose? Even if we had in mind a design we will still have to give it a purpose. Knowing the function of a potential project helps us think of ways to create a form that can carry out its function accurately.
However, I also feel that a great designer can create anything (form/shape/method) and later insert the concept of the function into the design. Although this may be considered working backwards, according to Sullivan’s principles that form should always follow function. It may be more chaotic this way, but the choice will ultimately be in the hands of the designer. There is no wrong or right answer. You can start a project with a blueprint in mind or by what you would want it to do.
In the end, the project would be crafted by the designers’ principle and if s/he were a smart individual he would balance the two elements of Form and Function.
I still don't have access to post on the blog and I need to go to bed so here is my blog bloat. Sorry I have to post it here
ReplyDeleteForm tells us what things are and exposes us to the visual aspect of design. Function is the intended purpose of something and its reason for existing. With these definitions in mind I think function is more important. A website may exists (form) but the purpose of that website is what is important to viewers (function).
In “Form vs. Function: Finding the Balance,” Nick Finck says, “Large corporate sites are often packed with functionality, as one can usually find any information needed on them.” He explains that corporate websites aren’t always visually appealing but they contain all the information that one needs. It is pleasant to open a website and have it easily accessible but what is contained on that website is the bigger picture.
I do believe that it is possible to design with only function in mind. When designing a website people know what information they want to have exposed to everyone but don’t always know the layout beforehand. Form helps guide the eye on a website but function is what provides the information. In “What Came First-Form or Function?,” Abhijit Nadgouda says, “function serves as a guide to design the form.” Navigational buttons and aesthetics will help the flow of a website but the true idea behind it is its function, the reason that the website was built. If you take away function and all you have is form, then you remove the reason for building the site in the first place.