Seductive Interaction Design: Creating Playful, Fun, and Effective User Experiences

Chapter 15. Attracting Attention

LET’S TALK ABOUT WAYS to attract attention by creating contrast. Contrast occurs when two elements are different. If all the girls at a dance are wearing dark evening gowns, it’s the girl who shows up in a bright red dress who stands out. Contrast is relative to the surrounding elements. On the basketball court, players don’t seem that tall standing next to each other. But if you meet one of these players on the street, the height difference is obvious.

For years, designers have used visual contrast to capture attention and guide our eyes through a page. For a great example of this, check out this homepage for Blinksale, below. Your eyes are grabbed first by the screenshot, as it’s the point of highest contrast. ...