Selling products more effectively.

Cookies are the data files a company needs to be able to remember you on the vast internet and hopefully serve you better. As we should know, the standard requests we make called HTTP for websites to load onto our computer are stateless. They were never supposed to remember you. Aggressive marketing meant companies needed to install very small data files onto client computers.

A small (few kilobytes) file is stored on the computer of the client. Whenever the client requests a website to load, the company computers or servers start looking for cookies. If and when they actually find the cookie the server computers take it to find the client in their database. When they actually do find them the client gets a website that remembers the activity of the user and make suggestions.

A particular cookie only stores website specific data. Usually name value pairs. Cookies can last as long as a session(session cookies) or indeterminately(persistent cookies). There is another type of cookie called authentication cookie. It can be used to validate users of online service for displaying sensitive content.

Cookies are often indispensable for websites that have huge databases, need logins, have customizable themes, other advanced features.

DESIGN AND COLOUR

The elements and principles of design are the building blocks used to create a work of art. The elements of design can be thought of as the things that make up a painting, drawing, design etc. Good or bad – all paintings will contain most of if not all, the seven elements of design.
The Principles of design can be thought of as what we do to the elements of design. How we apply the Principles of design determines how successful we are in creating a work of art.
THE ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

LINE
Line can be considered in two ways. The linear marks made with a pen or brush or the edge created when two shapes meet.
SHAPE
A shape is a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form. A positive shape in a painting automatically creates a negative shape.

DIRECTION
All lines have direction – Horizontal, Vertical or Oblique. Horizontal suggests calmness, stability and tranquility. Vertical gives a feeling of balance, formality and alertness. Oblique suggests movement and action

SIZE
Size is simply the relationship of the area occupied by one shape to that of another.

TEXTURE
Texture is the surface quality of a shape – rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Texture can be physical (tactile) or visual.

COLOUR
Also called Hue

VALUE
Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. Value is also called Tone

THE PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

BALANCE
Balance in design is similar to balance in physics

A large shape close to the center can be balanced
by a small shape close to the edge. A large light
toned shape will be balanced by a small dark toned
shape (the darker the shape the heavier it appears to be)
GRADATION
Gradation of size and direction produce linear perspective. Gradation of of colour from warm to cool and tone from dark to light produce aerial perspective. Gradation can add interest and movement to a shape. A gradation from dark to light will cause the eye to move along a shape.

REPETITION
Repetition with variation is interesting, without variation repetition can become monotonous. 

The five squares above are all the same. They can be taken in and understood with a single glance.

When variation is introduced, the five squares, although similar, are much more interesting to look at. They can no longer be absorbed properly with a single glance. The individual character of each square needs to be considered.
If you wish to create interest, any repeating element should include a degree of variation.

CONTRAST
Contrast is the juxtaposition of opposing elements eg. opposite colours on the colour wheel – red / green, blue / orange etc. Contrast in tone or value – light / dark. Contrast in direction – horizontal / vertical.
The major contrast in a painting should be located at the center of interest. Too much contrast scattered throughout a painting can destroy unity and make a work difficult to look at. Unless a feeling of chaos and confusion are what you are seeking, it is a good idea to carefully consider where to place your areas of maximum contrast.
HARMONY
Harmony in painting is the visually satisfying effect of combining similar, related elements. eg.adjacent colours on the colour wheel, similar shapes etc.
DOMINANCE
Dominance gives a painting interest, counteracting confusion and monotony. Dominance can be applied to one or more of the elements to give emphasis

UNITY
Relating the design elements to the the idea being expressed in a painting reinforces the principal of unity.eg. a painting with an active aggressive subject would work better with a dominant oblique direction, course, rough texture, angular lines etc. whereas a quiet passive subject would benefit from horizontal lines, soft texture and less tonal contrast.
Unity in a painting also refers to the visual linking of various elements of the work.

Great brochure design, great web design, great marketing material design is often necessary when services that cannot be considered specialized are offered. Great design cannot sell products itself, but it can influence people enough to remember the company name and company offerings. It helps create much needed marketing buzz.

What qualifies as balance in industry speak is the perceptibility of ideas. Ideas are ofcourse represented by the use of images and graphic objects. So we can have a large object placed closed to the centre of the screen. This can be offset by the placement of one small object or many small objects or designs far from the centre of the screen. A large object without any colour can be offset by a small object with colour to give visitors perspective. Contrast can help attract visitor attention towards objects. The skillful use of this pattern demonstrates the ability to look beyond the obvious and identify patterns and opportunities.

This idea can be taken forth and gradation can be added. An image with tone in it spread out evenly across the length and breadth is static. An image with tone in it varying across the length and the breadth is dynamic. This helps draw the visitors attention towards an idea or towards a proposition. A static image is one without “any movement”. A dynamic image is an image directing attention towards something.

The whole idea of varying objects without varying them might look strange. But consider five circles placed side by side. Now one can be left empty, another can be fully coloured. The circumference of another can be made bold. The circumference can be given and can be filled. The circle can now be left incomplete. The fifth circle can be given a gradient. This gives illusion of variety. Good use of this pattern can help create visitor interest.

Optimized and informed use of such design patterns helps market products and services very effectively. This is especially the case with generic solutions, softwares, and services. Ofcourse this idea does not work always. It will backfire wen marketing engineering goods and commodities. Website design can do little to encourage customers in such scenario.