Universal Principles of UX

07

Visual metaphors communicate the fastest.

An image is processed 60,000 times faster than text, and is filtered through the lens of our mind—mental models, which are simplified versions of the world around us (see Principle 62). A good visual metaphor creates new meaning out of these mental models and helps audiences relate by tapping into existing symbolism.

Right after the massive 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Japan in 2011, we started working on a website for Google Japan that would allow people from all over the world to send messages of hope to the Japanese people while raising funds to help disaster efforts. On the “Messages for Japan” website, people were able to write notes in their own language that were translated in ...