Talk:Design principles

Taxonomy of design principles

This page seems to be about Visual Design Principles.

I would offer that the taxonomical category [Visual Design Principles] is a subcategory of the broader category of [Design Principles].

For lack of a diagram:

(level 1) [Design Principles] (level 2) [System Design Principles] (level 2) [Visual Design Principles] (level 2) [Instructional Design Principles] (level 2) [User Experience Design Principles] + other categories.

Why offer a graded category taxonomy to our definition of Design Principles? Because I propose that not only the principles (of various schools) differ between disciplines, but the anatomy of design principles themselves differ between disciplines.

For example: In instructional design, design principles might take an anatomy by which theorists guide practioners, such as: [Abstract domain problem] --> [Abstract domain solution] --> [Instance domain problem] --> [Instance domain solution]

Whereas in Visual design, design principles might take another anatomical form better suited to the needs of the discipline, such as: [Abstract domain problem] --> [Abstract domain solution] --> [Guideline and recommended parameters]

That's a bit vague (and uninformed! I have no experience with visual design principles). So differentiating by discipline might not be needed, in the event the consensus is that the anatomy of design principles is truly universal.

In either case, I think the point holds that Visual Design Principles are a subcategory of Design Principles and not synonymous.

Thanks for hearing me out. ~2026-88325-9 (talk) 21:23, 8 February 2026 (UTC)