Catalonia PAU Design II (Disseny II) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Elements of visual language

The basic building units of an image: point, line, plane, shape, form, colour, texture, value and space. Principles such as balance, rhythm and contrast organise them into a composition.

Asymmetrical balance

A composition in which unequal masses, colours or shapes are distributed around an axis so that their visual weights balance. It reads as dynamic and informal compared with mirror symmetry.

Golden ratio

A proportion of approximately 1:1.618 in which the whole relates to the larger part as the larger part relates to the smaller. It is used in layout, typography and product proportions.

Complementary colours

Two hues opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as red and green or blue and orange. Placed together they produce maximum chromatic contrast and can vibrate visually.

Visual hierarchy

The ordered reading sequence a viewer follows through a composition, created by differences in size, weight, colour, position and whitespace. One dominant element per view is the usual rule.

Kerning vs tracking

Kerning adjusts the space between one specific pair of letters; tracking adjusts spacing uniformly across a whole range of text. Leading is the vertical distance between baselines.

x-height

The height of lowercase letters without ascenders or descenders, measured from the baseline. A large x-height usually improves legibility at small sizes and on screens.

Modular grid

A layout grid built from vertical columns crossed by horizontal divisions, creating repeated modules. It suits editorial and web layouts that need many differently sized elements to align.

Corporate identity

The controlled visual system that represents an organisation: logo, colour palette, typography, grid, imagery and tone of voice. It is the designed expression, not the audience's perceived reputation.

Pictogram

A simplified symbolic image that represents an object, action or service without words, used in signage and interfaces. It works best when the referent is widely shared across cultures.

Legibility distance rule

A practical signage rule of thumb: cap height of roughly 25 mm per 3 m of intended reading distance. Sans serif type, high contrast and short words improve recognition at distance.

Form follows function

Louis Sullivan's principle that a product's shape should derive from its use. In practice designers balance functional requirements with meaning, emotion and production constraints.

Anthropometric percentiles

Body-measurement data expressed as percentiles. Designing for the 5th percentile female to the 95th percentile male covers most users for reach and clearance dimensions.

Injection moulding

A production process in which molten thermoplastic is forced into a steel mould. Tooling is expensive but unit cost falls sharply at high volumes, making it the standard for mass-produced plastic parts.

Design for disassembly

Designing products so parts can be separated for repair, upgrading or recycling, using screws and snap fits instead of adhesives. It supports circular-economy goals and repairability.

Life-cycle assessment

A method that quantifies environmental impacts across extraction, production, distribution, use and end-of-life. It compares options and identifies the stage with the largest impact.

User-centred design

An iterative process based on observing real users, defining their needs, prototyping and testing with them. It aims at effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction rather than designer preference.

Bauhaus

A German school founded by Gropius in 1919, active in Weimar, Dessau and Berlin until 1933. It united art and craft through workshops and shaped functionalist typography, furniture and product design.

Arts and Crafts movement

A late 19th-century British movement led by Morris and Ruskin that rejected industrial division of labour and championed craft, honest materials and medieval models. It influenced later design reform.

Modernisme català

The Catalan branch of Art Nouveau, around 1890-1910, associated with Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch. It combined organic form, craft and structural innovation such as the trencadís mosaic.

Swiss Typographic Style

A mid-20th-century movement centred on the grid, asymmetrical layout, sans-serif type such as Helvetica, and objective photography. Müller-Brockmann's posters and writing defined its principles.

Delta Awards

Spanish industrial design awards established by ADI-FAD in 1958, recognising products made in Spain. They helped consolidate industrial design as a recognised profession in Catalonia and Spain.

Double Diamond

A Design Council model of four phases: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. Each diamond alternates divergent thinking, opening options, with convergent thinking, selecting and refining.

SCAMPER

An ideation checklist: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other use, Eliminate, Reverse. Each prompt forces a different transformation of an existing product or concept.

Low-fidelity prototype

A cheap, rough model such as a paper sketch, foam mock-up or wireframe, used early to test concepts. It invites honest feedback because it does not look finished.

Heuristic evaluation

An expert review that checks an interface or product against recognised usability principles, such as consistency, error prevention and clear feedback. It is fast but does not replace testing with users.

Orthographic projection

A system that represents an object through aligned views, typically front, plan and side, each showing true shape on parallel planes. In first-angle projection the plan appears below the front view.

Isometric projection

A parallel projection in which the three axes are drawn at 120 degrees and distances are equal along each axis. It shows three faces without perspective convergence.

Drawing scale

The ratio between drawing dimension and real dimension. A 1:2 scale halves the object, and 2:1 doubles it. Furniture is often drawn at 1:10 or 1:20 and buildings at 1:50 or 1:100.

Dimensioning rules

Extension lines run perpendicular from the measured edge, dimension lines are parallel to it, and arrows mark the ends. Units are stated once, usually millimetres, and no dimension is repeated.

WCAG contrast ratio

The minimum luminance contrast between text and background under WCAG AA is 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Contrast is independent of hue, so it works for colour-blind users.

Universal design

Seven principles formulated by Ron Mace: equitable use, flexibility, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.