Continuing from the Interface Design presentation, during the second PSPDFKit retreat we looked at how to use the basic cognitive concepts of contrast, grouping, and relationship forming to inform our information structure and design, including how low design affects readability of even large text. We ended with looking at some slick-looking data visualization types and discussed which type is easier to understand at a glance.

1. Information
Design
A Quick Introduction

2. Theory

3. A Quick Summary
of the Previous Talk

4. Contrast

5. Contrast

6. Contrast
Size

7. Contrast
Shape

8. Contrast
Color

9. Patterns

14. Relationships

15. Relationships

16. Relationships

17. Relationships

18. Relationships

19. Relationships

20. Relationships
Multi-dimensional

21. Relationships2

22. Relationships3

23. Cognitive
Processes

24. Recognising
Shapes

29. Recognising
Patterns

34. Recognising
State Changes

38. Concept
Forming

39. Concept
Forming
Step 1: Reverse engineering

40. Understanding the Shape

41. Understanding the Shape

42. Understanding the Shape

43. Understanding the Colors

44. Understanding the Elements

45. Understanding the Elements

46. Understanding the Elements

47. Concept
Forming
Step 2: Object orientation

48. + +
+
=

49. +
=
+

50. +
=
+

51. Memory &
Learning

52. • The Magic 3 (ish)
• You’ve got ~18 (ish) seconds, Mr
Bond
Rough, rule-of-thumb numbers.
Memory & Learning

53. • Short term memory can deal
with 3 items easily. The more
are added, the larger the
cognitive load.
• Grouping (abstraction) allows
for more
The Magic 3

54. • Short term memory can keep
track of the last ~18ish seconds
• Noticeable when someone
interrupts us when speaking,
and we totes forget what we
wanted to say
The ~18 seconds

55. • Amount of main information
points within 3 (± 2)
e.g. only make 5 items stand out
• Time to recognise visuals and
text within ~18 seconds, ideally
less
e.g. use short words when labelling, not
sentences that need over half a minute to be read
Keeping the Cognitive
Load Low

56. • Don’t overwhelm people with
too many new concepts at once
• But also don’t be afraid to
introduce new concepts; as
long as you explain them,
people will learn!
We’re smart that way :P
People learn

57. Practice

58. Typography

59. There are 861 companies using our Sync Service, thesmallestconnecting
with 43 unique devices each day, the biggest connecting with 8,173 de-
vices, and the average company connecting with 191 devices. The
month-to-month increase of average devices connecting being 17.
On average (today), there are 87 devices connected simultaneously
(down from 91 yesterday), with an average response rate of 281ms
(down from 332ms).
We handled an average 1,271 requests per second today, with the peaks
for the last hour being 918 and 2.837 for the day. The averages for the
last 7 days are 1,103 per second each day, the 7-day-peak bein 4,871.
The customer with the most requests/day is Langendatenabfragen
GmbH.

60. There are 861 companies using our Sync Service, thesmallestconnecting
with 43 unique devices each day, the biggest connecting with 8,173
devices, and the average company connecting with 191 devices. The
month-to-month increase of average devices connecting being 17.
On average (today), there are 87 devices connected simultaneously
(down from 91 yesterday), with an average response rate of 281ms
(down from 332ms).
We handled an average 1,271 requests per second today, with the
peaks for the last hour being 918 and 2.837 for the day. The averages
for the last 7 days are 1,103 per second each day, the 7-day-peak
being 4,871.
The customer with the most requests/day is Langendatenabfragen
GmbH with 71,927 requests.

61. There are 861 companies using our Sync Service, thesmallestconnecting
with 43 unique devices each day, the biggest connecting with 8,173 de-
vices, and the average company connecting with 191 devices. The
month-to-month increase of average devices connecting being 17.
On average (today), there are 87 devices connected simultaneously
(down from 91 yesterday), with an average response rate of 281ms
(down from 332ms).
We handled an average 1,271 requests per second today, with the peaks
for the last hour being 918 and 2.837 for the day. The averages for the
last 7 days are 1,103 per second each day, the 7-day-peak being 4,871.
The customer with the most requests/day is Langendatenabfragen
GmbH with 71,927 requests.

62. There are 861 companies using our Sync Service, thesmallestconnecting
with 43 unique devices each day, the biggest connecting with 8,173 de-
vices, and the average company connecting with 191 devices. The
month-to-month increase of average devices connecting being 17.
On average (today), there are 87 devices connected simultaneously
(down from 91 yesterday), with an average response rate of 281ms
(down from 332ms).
We handled an average 1,271 requests per second today, with the peaks
for the last hour being 918 and 2.837 for the day. The averages for the
last 7 days are 1,103 per second each day, the 7-day-peak being 4,871.
The customer with the most requests/day is Langendatenabfragen
GmbH with 71,927 requests.

63. But.
We have the power of font sizes!

64. 861 COMPANIES CONNECT IN TOTAL
SMALLEST COMPANY
43Devices/Day
BIGGEST
8,173/Day
AVERAGE
191/Day

65. 861 COMPANIES CONNECT IN TOTAL
SMALLEST COMPANY
43Devices/Day
TODAY’S AVERAGES
CONCURRENT DEVICES
87 (↓-4)
RESPONSE TIME
281ms(↓51ms)
BIGGEST
8,173/Day
AVERAGE
191/Day
71,927 requests/day: Langendatenabfragen GmbH

66. 861 COMPANIES CONNECT IN TOTAL
SMALLEST COMPANY
43Devices/Day
TODAY
CONCURRENT DEVICES
87 (↓-4)
RESPONSE TIME
281ms(↓51ms)
PAST
AVERAGE TODAY
1,271/s
HOURLY HIGH
918/s
7 DAY AVERAGE
1,103
7 DAY PEAK
4,871
BIGGEST
8,173/Day
AVERAGE
191/Day
71,927 requests/day: Langendatenabfragen GmbH

67. 861 COMPANIES CONNECT IN TOTAL
SMALLEST COMPANY
43Devices/Day
TODAY
CONCURRENT DEVICES
87 (↓-4)
RESPONSE TIME
281ms(↓51ms)
PAST
AVERAGE TODAY
1,271/s
HOURLY HIGH
918/s
7 DAY AVERAGE
1,103
7 DAY PEAK
4,871
BIGGEST
8,173/Day
AVERAGE
191/Day
71,927 requests/day: Langendatenabfragen GmbH

68. 861 COMPANIES CONNECT IN TOTAL
SMALLEST COMPANY
43Devices /Day
TODAY
CONCURRENT DEVICES
87 (↓-4)
RESPONSE TIME
281ms(↓51ms)
PAST
AVERAGE TODAY
1,271/s
HOURLY HIGH
918/s
7 DAY AVERAGE
1,103
7 DAY PEAK
4,871
BIGGEST
8,173/Day
AVERAGE
191/Day
71,927 requests/day: Langendatenabfragen GmbH

69. Data
Visualisation

70. Hipster
An Inspiring Quote About Creativity

71. Hipster
Green Gray Blue Orange Red

72. Green Gray Blue Orange Red
Hipster-ish

73. Hurmph?
Green Gray Blue Orange Red

74. Hurmph?
Green Gray Blue Orange Red

75. Green Gray Blue Orange Red
Old School

76. 21 25 9 18 27
Green Gray Blue Orange Red
Boring

77. Thanks