This series is a revised collection of extracts on topics I researched for my dissertation about e-commerce and gamification.
Claus Bundesan in "A theory of visual attention" presents the TVA Model (Theory of Visual Attention Model), which demonstrates that the main mechanisms used in human cognition for the selection of information are ‘filtering’ and ‘pigeonholing’.
Filtering is the selection of information by ignoring visual stimuli lacking a specific predetermined feature. Pigeonholing is the selection of information using predetermined mental categories with a variable bias of category assignment.
“Visual recognition and attentional selection consist in making perceptual categorizations. A perceptual categorization has the form "x belongs to i; where x is an element in the visual field and i is a perceptual category.
When the perceptual categorization "x belongs to i" is made, element x is said both to be selected and to be recognized as a member of category i”
Claus Bundesan
This association between perceptual and visual categorisation can enhance a user's perceptual categorisation and therefore accelerate familiarisation within an system of actions and mechanics.
CandyCrush Saga presents signs & feeedback in this design that accelerate attentional selection and categorisation through colour, shape, size and texture;
Ensuring Signs & Feedback in the 'user interface', 'reward system', 'onboarding' and 'tutorialisation' are consistently designed to optimise the comprehension of systems and mechanics can accelerate learning, confidence and decision making throughout the User Experience.