Misplaced Desire for Aesthetic Perfection in Human-to-Software Interfaces

So Vic, we have an urgent issue, one that I need addressed right away. I've already
assigned someone from my team to help you, and I hope you can fix this tomorrow"
said Steve [Jobs]. "I've been looking at the Google logo on the iPhone and I'm not
happy with the icon. The second O in Google doesn't have the right yellow gradient.
It's just wrong and I'm going to have Greg fix it tomorrow. Is that okay with
you? (Kim Steve Jobs Called Google's Vic Gundotra on a Sunday About this
Icon)

This paper will attempt to reveal how the design of the user interface of iOSs home
screen intentionally, but wrongfully creates a space in which users are forced to follow an
aesthetic pattern which ruins the function of the interface.
In Hertzian Tales, Anthony Dunne draws on Paul Virilios theory about the subtle
enslavement of the human being to intelligent machines (21). In the paper, Dunne argues
that this enslavement is not directed towards these machines themselves or the creators of the
machine but to their conceptual models, values and systems of thought (21). Through the
machines user-friendliness, the dialogue between the man and the machine is strengthened
but in a way where the machines apply their values on man (ibid.). More specifically, the enslavement Dunne is referring to is the enslavement in how [w]e unwittingly adopt rules created by the human factors specialists of large corporations (22). Christian Ulrik Andersen
follows the same logic by arguing that interfaces of electronic devices that are lockedin
terms of not allowing users to modify themtakes the control away from the user and forces
its language unto the users and their worlds (110). Dunne also talks about how an interface of
an electronic object has potential to dematerialize its electronic object because it becomes
more dominant and important than the electronic object itself (16). As a result of this, Dunne
argues that [t]his could lead to more sensual interfaces than screens and offer new aesthetic
qualities (17).

Araz !2
With this in mind, the paper will attempt to define a field within interfaces which I
will refer to as the perfect pattern phenomena. The perfect pattern phenomena occur when a
human-to-software interface invites the user to follow a pattern in order to achieve a sense of
aesthetic pleasure. A human-to-software interface is the interface that is electronically displayed by a device to a human user (Cramer 119). Note, the system will not directly tell the
user how to achieve this but rather it will be indirectly reflected in the already established
system of an interface.
Perhaps the best way to exemplify this feeling of aesthetic satisfaction in the perfect
pattern phenomena is through most TVs interface. When we want to control audio volume of
a TV, the TV-interface will often not only change the volume but it will also display a number
as an indicator of this audio volume. As a result, we not only change the volume based on the
desired loudness of the TV but a numeric value is added which changes our behavior because
we take the number into account rather than focusing on the volume. As an example, I prefer
tens or tens plus five so my chosen volumes tend to become numbers such as 10, 15, 20, 25,
30 and so on. However, this creates a flawed design because it removes the focus from the
real problem which is the volume and instead it adds an aesthetic in volume control through
the display of a number so users will choose a sound level based not only on the volume but
also on the number itself. The TV-interface offers the user a new sensual interface and therefore offer a new aesthetic quality.
While for some it might be pleasing to simply hit these tens with a remote control, the
paper will argue that design where this new aesthetic desire is created is flawed and misplaced. With this design, the function is changed. Suddenly, it becomes about hitting the right
number instead of finding an appropriate volume. The users should control the audio to their
desired range based on hearing, not based on visual satisfaction. It is through designs such as

Araz !3
the TV-example that the interface enslaves the user like previously talked about. In this example, it becomes relevant to include Jay David Bolter and Diane Gromala's view on transparency within interfaces. According to them, an interface should be transparent by helping
the user focus on the task, not the interface itself (Bolter 2). But, [i]f the application calls
attention to itself or intrudes into the users conscious consideration, this is usually considered a design flaw (ibid.). This distortion or interference is exactly what is happening with
the TV interface.
This leads the paper to an analysis of iOSs home screen interface. Before the analysis, I want to present a term that I use as the invisible grid. The invisible grid is the layout in
an interface that deals with the locations of icons of apps. For example, in iOS, the grid allows four icons in a row with up to eight columns depending on how new your Apple device
in (appx. 1). If users wants, they can create additional pages which they can swipe between.
But, this invisible grid creates a space in which users will want to achieve a sense of perfect
pattern. I, for instance, prefer to close rows and for that reason, I might not download additional apps from Apples App Store because it disrupts my attempt to achieve this perfect pattern.
Another type of grid is presented in watchOS which is used in Apple Watch. Instead
of a rectangular shaped grid, the grid is diagonal (appx. 2). Instead of swiping between separate locked pages, users can go anywhere. This changes the dynamic of the users relation to
the app because now apps can appear anywhere on the screen while on iOS apps have their
position locked. The avid Apple Watch user will, however, notice that it is possible to zoom
out from in its home screen and rearrange icons to create different shapes. But, through a diagonal and an unlocked grid, the perfect pattern are to some degree challenged because it be-

Araz !4
comes more difficult to make a perfect pattern and as a result, it diminishes the desire for perfecting icons location in relation to each other.
Another term similar to grid is the form of icons. In iOS, icons are form-locked. They
have to have the same height and width and they all have round corners (appx. 1). Because of
this design choice, one might argue users are subconsciously taught that aligned and mathematically equal interfaces are better in terms of perfect pattern. When Google launched their
Chrome browser for iOS, instead of reshaping their famous round shaped icon, they decided
to confront Apples rules and add the icon inside the form and a white background (appx. 3).
In this way, the familiarity of the app across platforms and the desire to simply have a roundshaped icon for their browser is maintained. However, some users notice this inconsistency
and they start creating their own versions of the icon. One reaction to this is presented
through Glenn McCombs blog in which he redesigned the Google Chrome icon for iOS
(appx. 4):
One thing that bugs me about Chrome is the app icon. [] Heres my interpretation
of the next Chrome icon for iOS. It still clearly uses the Chrome logo but makes it
much larger and more vibrant by removing the white space around it. Even though I
use Safari [Apples iOS internet browser] these days, this would inspire me to use
Chrome more often (my italics, McComb Google Chrome iOS icon).

This quote highlights McComb's displeasure with the icon of Google Chrome and because
the icon fails to be consistent with the rest of Googles apps and their design. And because of
this, he appears to choose to use another app. Arguably, through iOSs formed icons McComb
is led to believe a perfect pattern and an aesthetic pleasure can be achieved by redesign
Googles icon for Chrome.
In contrast to iOSs form-locked icons, Apples biggest competitor Android does not
require any particular shape for the icon of their apps (appx. 5). For that reason, it becomes
impossible to create a perfectly aligned pattern within their interface because all icons are

Araz !5
different. So by unlocking the option of having more than one shape but many, one might argue it eliminates the desire for choosing apps based on the form of icons and the form, therefore, becomes irrelevant in terms of aesthetic satisfaction because it is difficult to only use
one-shaped icons (unless the user downloads a preinstalled 3rd party modification of Android).
Apple even confirms the existence of this aesthetic desire. When they released Apple
Music in 2015, the logo for their Music app changed from multicolored to white (appx. 6).
But this presented a new problem. Now two icons next to each other shared the same color,
namely Safari and Music, and it did not look quite right. So they changed the location of Safari and their email app, and now the color-balance was restored. In appx 1, note how not one
icon shares the same color as the icons next to it, and if it does, the icons content is shaped
differently within the icon (e.g. the Notes and Reminders app) . But, there was a reason for
their Mail app to be located where it was previously. Before, it was next to Apples Phone
app, and one might argue that their small space might indicate that both apps belonged to the
same category as apps that have communicational purposes. But now they are separated because their colors do not match. And this is a flaw in their design because it creates a space in
which you cannot achieve both function and aesthetic pleasure at the same time. The avid
iOS user will know that the user can simply change the location of apps on iOS but when a
user uses an Apple device running iOS for the first time, this is the interface the user is presented with. And therefore the user is presented with these codes and rules which they must
confine to if one is to want the aesthetics Apple attempts to maintain in their interface.
The invisible grid, form, and color are just three of several aspects of interfaces which
can provide a desire for aesthetic pleasure. This teaches us that it is difficult to completely
avoid some form of aesthetic pleasure of an interface because obviously, it cannot elevate it-

Araz !6
self from all these important aspects that makes up an interface. The paper does not say that
an interface should not be pretty, logical, realistic and futuristic. Instead, the paper is trying to
say that when interfaces add aesthetics pleasure by locking aspects of an interface (e.g.
swipe-able pages or form-locked icons in iOS as previously mentioned in the paper), it inspires a need from the users which cannot be met; a desire for perfectly patterned interfaces
and an aesthetic perfection that interfaces just cannot be provided without diminishing their
functions. But by diminishing function, the design and therefore aesthetic of an interface will
suffer as well.
In conclusion, the paper reveals that interfaces such as Apples iOS home screen interface create a space in which users are made aware that there are codes and rules that must be
followed to achieve a perfectly patterned interface. Following this pattern, the user is inspired
to feel a form of aesthetic satisfaction. However, this way of design is flawed because it misleads the user from the function of an interface. By looking into other interfaces such as
Apple Watch and Android, the paper reveals that there are aspects in which this aesthetic desire can be diminished. The paper finally concludes that while it is hard to completely avoid
this desire for aesthetic satisfaction in beautiful and organized interfaces aspects within interfaces of devices such as the Apple Watch and Android attempts to diminish this desire for
aesthetic satisfaction without losing a logical and beautiful interface.

Araz !7

Appendix
Appx. 5

Appx. 1

Appx. 2
Appx. 3

Appx. 4
Appx. 6

Araz !8
Works Cited
Andersen, Christian Ulrik. Det semantiske interface. In Lund & Thygesen (red): Kunstvrk
og udsigelse. Akademiet for stetikfaglig Forskeruddannelse (2009):109-128. Print.
Bolter, Jay D and Gromala, Diane. Transparency and Reflectivity: Digital Art and the Aesthetics of Interface Design. In Fishwich (red.): Aesthetic Computing. MIT Press
(2008): 369-382. Print.
Cramer, Florian. What Is Interface Aesthetics, Or What Could It Be (Not?). In Interface
Criticism. Aarhus University Press (2011): 117-129. Print.
Dunne, Anthony. Hertzian Tales Electronic Products, Aesthetic Experience, and Critical
Design. MIT Press (2008): 1-42. Print.
Kim, Arnold. Steve Jobs Called Google's Vic Gundotra on a Sunday About this Icon. MacRumors, 25 Aug. 2011, http://www.macrumors.com/2011/08/25/steve-jobs-calledgoogles-vic-gundotra-on-a-sunday-about-this-icon/ . Web.
McComb, Glenn. Google Chrome iOS icon. Dribble, 12 Mar. 2014, https://dribbble.com/
shots/1461009-Google-Chrome-iOS-icon?comments_sort=liked . Accessed 5 Oct.
2016. Web.