The MAYA StageWritten by Jake Gorst
The word ?Maya? may call to mind peoples of Central America. One may think of ancient ruins and bold stonework and murals of Mayan culture. Some may think of religion or colorful Mayan history. Most people do not think of design.Raymond Loewy, an influential industrial designer listed by Time magazine as one of top 100 most influential people of 20th century, coined phrase ?MAYA stage? early in his career. MAYA applies to any type of design - architectural, industrial, Internet, etc. What is it? MAYA stands for ?Most Advanced Yet Acceptable.? Mass production of products and advertising materials by influential companies condition people into accepting certain methods of design as being norm. Any design that drastically departs from accepted norm amounts to a risk to company. Therefore, MAYA stage is limit that society places on your design. Even though a design may be considered advanced, it may not be accepted. In world of e-commerce, average shopper is accustomed to basic and generally accepted design elements. Take for example, shopping cart. The user knows that after they select a product for purchase it goes into a shopping cart. They can then continue to shop for more products, or check out. What if shopping cart was replaced by a counter top or a cash register? Because user is so conditioned to a specific icon, any change in symbolism may result in confusion and loss of sale.
| | Is There Benefit to Green in Web Design?Written by Jake Gorst
John Deere tractors are painted green - so are encoders produced by Gurley Precision, rental equipment from Sunbelt, and metering pumps from Pulsafeeder. Many manufacturers report that they sell more products when they are painted green. Why? How could this trend impact Internet Design Industry?Green has a long symbolic history. In Celtic myths, Green Man was god of fertility. Green was a sacred color in Egyptian culture, representing hope and joy of Spring. In 15th century, green was color of choice for wedding gowns because of its symbolic ties to purity and virginity. Green has a significant psychological impact on human mind. It is most soothing color to eye and can aid in healing process. Studies have found that people who work in green environments have fewer stomach problems. Teething infants find comfort in green surroundings. When London's Blackfriar Bridge was painted green, reported suicides dropped by 34%. The fact of matter is that our natural environment, when it has not been polluted, is saturated with color green. Green makes things appear natural, fresh, and ecologically beneficial.
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