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Kevin Walzer, software developer.

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In defense of eye candy?

"In Defense of Eye Candy" is an interesting article about the value of attractive design in software. The most salient point:

"The more we learn about people, and how our brains process information, the more we learn the truth of that phrase: form and function aren't separate items. If we believe that style somehow exists independent of functionality, that we can treat aesthetics and function as two separate pieces, then we ignore the evidence that beauty is much more than decoration. Our brains can't help but agree."

In the past I've voiced some skepticism about excessive eye candy in Mac software; some Mac developers, particularly those who have been termed "the Delicious generation," tend to release programs with baroque, gaudy interfaces that tilt so far in favor of the high-gloss finish that they may sacrifice usability. If they were paintings, they would be right at home in the last Victorian era, mostly marked by decadence in its visual style.

However, if we consider eye candy as part of a larger whole--the fusion of attractiveness and usability, with balance between the two--then eye candy is definitely important. While I've tried to avoid gaudiness in my programs, I've definitely striven for both attractiveness and usability. (An example of how the aesthetics of my programs have evolved can be found here.)

In any event, "In Defense of Eye Candy" is a thought-provoking piece about the intersection of usablity and visual appeal.

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