Chapter Eight
Visual Objects and Data Objects
The object metaphor is pervasive in the way we think about information, no matter how abstract. Object-oriented programming is one example; the body politic is another. Object-related concepts are also basic in modern systems design. A modular system is one that has easily understood and easily replaced components. Good modules are plug compatible with one another; they are discrete and separate parts of a system. The concept of a module has a lot in common with the perceptual and cognitive structures that define visual objects. This suggests that visual objects may be an excellent way to represent modular system components. A visual object provides a useful metaphor for encapsulation and cohesiveness, ...
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