A New Method to Evaluate Good Design for Brand Recognition in the Digital World

Abstract

Visual aesthetics has become a crucial element in strengthening brand experience. In the digital era, however, designers need to approach aesthetics from a holistic standpoint where both traditional and more modern factors are taken into consideration. In this paper we present digital BrandUX, a new method to improve brand consistency through the evaluation of aesthetic features. It builds on the Design Format Analysis (DFA) of Warell ( 2001) with the addition of a structured step-by-step approach. To test the method we analysed two web sites using both DFA and digital BrandUX. The results showed that digital BrandUX is a promising advance in aesthetic evaluation, assisting designers in identifying a greater number of visual aesthetic features. Moreover, the method ensured that the designers explored and identified all types of factors, with the exception of language. Future lines include the development of a handbook to improve ease of use of the method.