mostly just CRAP

I recently saw this design-y geek-y cartoon on Design Observer.  For anyone who doesn't know me, I can often be found complaining about improper grammar/spelling or design principles (or lack thereof).   I often feel like I want to hunt down whoever is in charge and correct them on whatever it is they have done wrong.

The principles of design are simple as long as you can remember CRAP.

•C is for contrast!
If you're going to have contrast, make sure it is obvious!  i.e. make the text WAY bigger instead of by just one point, or instead of just making it *shudder* bold. . .PS this doesn't apply to blogging.  *wink*

•R is for repetition!
Don't choose a different font or colour for everything.  Try and repeat the elements to achieve some sort of consistency.  This is used for creating product/company recognition. . .what do you think of when you see the colour combo white & green on a product?   TD Bank?  XBox?  iPod shuffle?  Depends on the green probably.  This was probably a bad example (as Joel knows, I'm bad at examples).   I learned this repetition thing in grade 4 art class.  My teacher said "always try to use a colour 3 times in an image to make it more pleasing."   She also told me to try and keep those colours separated, as to create a triangle of colour.

•A is for alignment!
This bugs me endlessly.  The final word on this is to line things up at least with something else.   And keep it consistent.  Don't right-align something, left-align something else and have the header centred.  Gross!

•P is for proximity!
This makes copy easier to understand, web sites easier to navigate and information easier to sort out.   Think: what is most important?   And put that element in a place of prominence.   Keep groups of info together!   This one is harder to explain but you'll know it when you see it.

Well now you all know how much of a geek I am.  But come on, everybody has something they are geeky about and everybody has something that bugs them to no end.   Maybe not as many as I have.   Maybe more (!!!)