Making the Web Work: Designing Effective Web Applications

Evaluating Style

The Style layer contributes to the fundamental design goals of control and satisfaction to the degree that it embodies the values of elegance, novelty, beauty, and enjoyment. A well-designed Style layer not only reflects these values, but it does so in support of the interface’s other components. To further the challenge, it also supports the established brand values of the company, while remaining sensitive to the underlying technology’s abilities and limitations.

In contrast to other components of the interface, the Style layer is uniquely concerned with emotion and feeling. Through the use of color, typography, and imagery, the Style layer can contribute a sense of fun, excitement, variety, comfort, safety, trust, integrity, ...