Principles of design harmony

From CEOpedia | Management online

Principles of design harmony regulate ways and methods used in R&D and project management activities within company on various levels of management (strategic, tactical and operational management), they involve following good practices in project design:

  • use good and proven methods of doing things, follow the example of best leaders and managers
  • follow the KISS principle
  • maintain harmony and unity between different projects and teams
  • prepare resources in balanced proportion according to stated goals and objectives of project result
  • use best patterns of activities to solve particular problem
  • prioritize and emphasize most important part of the project (Galitz, W. O. 2007)

There are a few simple rules, the use of which does not require a large artistic sense. At the beginning, remember the principle of minimalism, i.e. the less, the more ... the more. Therefore, do not stuff too much stuff wherever it is possible, because it just suffocates space. Symmetry is equally important. Man perceives symmetrical things as nice and aesthetic. It has been scientifically proven and our sense of aesthetics is based on this simple fact. The principle of purism must also be applied. Do not use too many materials and colors, because the more them there are, the more noticeable is the haos, on which everything is restless, unharmonious, giving the impression of temporariness. Use subdued colors. This is recognized as a classic and does not get bored too quickly. No bright colors (Kerssens‐van Drongelen, I. C., & Cooke, A. 1997, 345-357)

Graphic design - cohesion / harmony

To get the impression of consistency and harmony in the design, take care of these aspects:

  • closeness: distances between elements
  • similarity: occurs when there is a certain repetition in the elements
  • continuation: the impression given by stretching and repeating the pattern or line
  • repeatability: elements are repeatedly copied or reproduced with minor changes
  • rhythm: is achieved by means of position, size, color of elements that disturb the center point of the composition (A. Kaveh1,*, A. Shakouri Mahmud Abadi 2009, 2-4)

Graphic design - balance

The following are responsible for the balance in the project:

  • symmetry: elements on both sides of the project are mirror images
  • asymmetry: elements on both sides differ in shape, but are in equilibrium
  • radial / circular arrangement: the elements are arranged in the form of a circle (A. Kaveh1,*, A. Shakouri Mahmud Abadi 2009, 2-4)

Graphic design - proportions and scales

This part concerns the size of the elements that you place in the project. What should be the size relationship between them?

  • size: elements of various sizes remain in relation to each other
  • proportion: elements that are related to each other by maintaining proportions create the impression of visual harmony
  • division: creates a focal point that binds all elements (Shuo-Ting Wei, Li-Chen Ou, M. Ronnier Luo, John B. Hutchings 2014, 110-120)

Useful concepts

1. Kiss principle or keep it simple stupid

The code should be created and maintained in such a way that it is as comprehensible and clear to everyone. The principle is that our code should be as simple as possible in the record, without complicated fantasies that obscure his understanding. This is not only about the way of creating and writing the code, but also about the naming of our classes, methods, variables and objects. Everything should be written in such a way that the name of the variable, object, method or class defends itself and tells what its purpose or use is. (Takao Terano 2005, 176-179)

2. Dry principle or don't repeat yourself

The principle tells us not to repeat ourselves. What exactly does the author mean? What he means is to create code that avoids unnecessary repetition in the code, a code that does the same thing and repeats itself. Going further, the point is that no part of our application should be repeated in many places and it would only be in a place that is designed for a given functionality. Generally, when, for example, we have methods that add our objects to the database, the methods that add this object should be in one, appropriately centralized and prepared for this class. It can be a CRUD repository or some service. But generally there is no point in declaring methods that add something to the database in many places separately. (Markus Schaffner 2013, 2-14)

3. The principle of yagni or you is not gona need it

This is a rule that says that in our program we should put the most important functionalities that we will need at a given moment. He also says not to write code that will not be useful at the moment, which will be redundant and which will only grow unnecessarily in our program. Let's just write what we need at the moment, if we are not sure that we will need a given method, let us not define it. (Markus Schaffner 2013, 2-14)

4. Tda rules or tell do not ask

This rule speaks of a specific division of duties between our classes and objects and their tasks. It is closely related to hermetization. We should tell our facilities what their duties are (tasks to be carried out) and not ask what state they are in. This rule also helps us avoid unnecessary connections between the objects of our classes. (Markus Schaffner 2013, 2-14)

5. Sca principle is separation of concerns

This principle is very important if you want your code to be modular, easily testable and easy to maintain. It tells us that no class of our program should share responsibility with other classes in our program. The point is that each class should have separate worries and do not have to worry about the tasks of side classes. All classes should be separate and singular. (Markus Schaffner 2013, 2-14)

Examples of Principles of design harmony

  • Collaboration: Collaboration across departments and divisions is essential in order to ensure a successful outcome to any project. By working together, teams can identify potential problems and come up with the best solutions.
  • Communication: Communication is key to a successful project. Regular meetings, emails, and other forms of communication help to ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page.
  • Accountability: All team members must take responsibility for their tasks and be held accountable for their performance. This helps to ensure that team members are working together to achieve the desired outcome.
  • Flexibility: Projects are often subject to change, so teams should remain flexible and be open to new approaches and ideas.
  • Planning: A well-thought-out plan provides structure and guidance for a project. It should include a timeline, goals, and objectives.
  • Goals & Objectives: Clear goals and objectives should be established at the beginning of a project. These should be measurable and realistic.
  • Continuous Improvement: Teams should constantly evaluate their progress and identify areas for improvement. This helps to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
  • Risk Management: Risk management should be practiced throughout the project to identify and address potential problems. This helps to ensure that a project is successful and that any risks are mitigated.

Advantages of Principles of design harmony

  • Improved Efficiency: Principles of design harmony allow for an increased level of efficiency in R&D and project management activities. By having a clear set of design principles, project teams are able to focus their efforts on the most important aspects of a project and optimize their workflow, helping to reduce costly errors and maximize the efficiency of the process.
  • Reduced Stress: Principles of design harmony also aim to reduce stress and allow for better communication between team members. By having a clearly defined set of project design principles, all stakeholders are able to better understand their roles and responsibilities and are able to better collaborate with each other.
  • Increased Productivity: By having clear principles of design, project teams are able to increase the productivity of their projects by eliminating the need for rework. Design principles help to streamline the project design process and ensure that all project elements are considered before any decisions are made.
  • Improved Quality: Design principles also help to ensure that the quality of the final product is of a higher standard. By having a clear set of design principles, teams are able to focus on the most important aspects of a project and ensure that only the best solutions are implemented.
  • Increased Creativity: Principles of design harmony also allow for increased creativity within a project team. By having a clearly defined set of design principles, all stakeholders are able to have a better understanding of the project goals and objectives and are able to come up with creative solutions to any potential problems.

Limitations of Principles of design harmony

  • Principles of design harmony are not always applicable in all projects, since they do not provide concrete solutions to all problems.
  • The principles are intended to support the decision-making process and provide guidance in project design, but they do not guarantee success.
  • Projects may not be suitable to be managed by the principles of design harmony if the project’s goals and requirements are too complex.
  • When implementing the principles, the project manager and team must be aware of potential conflicts between the different principles and adjust the project design accordingly.
  • The principles of design harmony should be used in conjunction with other project management techniques and methodologies, such as Lean and Agile, for best results.
  • Additionally, the principles should be adapted and updated as needed to fit the changing nature of the project and its objectives.

Other approaches related to Principles of design harmony

Design harmony is an important concept for project management, and there are a number of other related approaches that can help to create effective and efficient processes.

The other approaches related to principles of design harmony include:

  • Systematic approach: This approach focuses on creating a system of interconnected processes and activities that all work together to achieve the desired outcome. This helps to create an environment of efficiency and effectiveness in the project.
  • Iterative process: This approach involves continuously improving and refining the design process over time. It involves taking feedback from stakeholders, testing the design, and making adjustments as needed.
  • Collaborative design: This approach involves involving multiple stakeholders in the design process, allowing them to provide input and ideas. This helps to ensure that the design is reflective of the needs of the stakeholders.
  • Visualization: This approach involves creating visual representations of the design to help stakeholders and designers better understand how the design will work. This can help to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

In summary, principles of design harmony are an important concept for project management and there are a number of other related approaches that can help create effective and efficient processes. These include systematic approach, iterative process, collaborative design, and visualization.


Principles of design harmony — recommended articles
MoSCoW technique — Scrum of scrums — Feature-driven development — Product backlog — System and process — Project lifecycle — Design thinking — Result orientation — CMM model

References

Author: Natalia Wróblewska

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