Universal Principles of Design

The foundational title in the Rockport Universal series, Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition is the definitive multidisciplinary reference for design practitioners in a wide variety of fields. Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition is a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary encyclopedia, now with fully updated existing entries and expanded with 75 new entries to present a total of 200 laws, guidelines, and considerations that are important to successful design.

Richly illustrated and easy to navigate, this essential design guide pairs clear explanations of every design concept with visual examples of the ideas applied in practice.

Whether a marketing campaign or a museum exhibit, a video game or a complex control system, the design we see is the culmination of many concepts and practices brought together from a variety of disciplines. Because no one can be an expert on everything, designers have always had to scramble to find the information and know-how required to make a design work—until now.

Each principle is presented in a two-page format. The left-hand page contains a succinct definition and a full description of the principle, examples of and guidelines for its use, and side notes that provide elaborations and references. The right-hand page contains visual examples and related graphics to support a deeper understanding of the principle.

The book is organized alphabetically so that principles can be easily and quickly referenced by name. From the Abbe Principle to the Zeigarnick Effect, every major design concept is defined and illustrated, including these new additions:

Feature creep Gamification Root cause Social trap Supernormal stimulus