User Perceptions of Aesthetic Visual Design Variables within the Informing Environment: A Web-Based Experiment

Abstract

A person’s psychological and physiological characteristics influence both behavior and decisionmaking in the informing process, such that system designers should understand users to reduce biases and misinformation. Given the substantial influence that visual interfaces have on users, system designers can benefit from understanding both the visual and functional aspects of interface design. To address these issues, this study employs the visual system design (VSD) framework, which integrates a rich and varied collection of visual design variables and IS (Information Systems) variables. This study performs a visual web-based experiment with data collected from 105 participants, where results show that changes in aesthetic elements of interface design, specifically, visual value and color, do ripple across a transition zone between visual design and IS variables. Both participants with and without visual design training were able to perceive those changes as intended. This study provides preliminary support to the VSD framework. It also suggests that bias and randomness are reduced in the informing process if system interfaces are designed with mindful and skilled use of design and aesthetic elements.