Rhythm as described by the author is the “movement created by repeated pattern of form.” There are to two key component having a rhythm that works, the first being patterns, when we are able to recognize them we can expect certain elements to constantly show up. The author uses the Airbnb app as an example, every listing is formatted the same, and when scanning after some time one can recognize a pattern and know exactly where to find the price. The other component is having a break in rhythm, when it occurs it does not flow the normal pattern, and users can expect something else. For example in the twitter app, when the rhythm is broken, its usually to grab the attention of the user to look at something else, such as suggesting to follow people in the middle of your twitter feeds.
Mandelbaum, Melissa. “Design Principles.” Design Principles. Accessed October 13, 2017. http://learndesignprinciples.com/.
Example from original source
Airbnb app shows rhythm when patters are repeated. Twitter app is an example of a break in the rhythm.
Source: Learn Design Principles website
Example not cited by original source
Checkered floors are an example of patters that are repeated with some variation. One always knows where to expect the white or black tiles.
Source: Pinterest
Example from real life
All the resident mailboxes are the same size, however one quickly notices the large boxes at the bottom, a break in the rhythm signifies that they are communal mail boxes for large packages.
Great examples of Rhythm. I find that simple and consistent Rhythm help with the feeling of comfort in applications and product design. This article gives great examples! https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/articles/improving-layout-with-vertical-rhythm–webdesign-14070
Good examples. As the others, I also like AirBnB’s rhythm more. A few years back when I was searching for a house to buy, I downloaded both the Trulia and Zillow apps to compare info on-the-fly. The Trulia app’s rhythm is what made it my preferred app. Zillow was quite disorganized in comparison, and when using the two in quick succession, it was very noticeable.
I also liked the Airbnb example, and also your personal life example. It’s crazy how common rhythm actually is in day-to-day life. An example I have are airline websites. More and more, they have similar templates/rhythms. Those that don’t follow the rhythm feel “off”, and can cause decrease in conversion rate. For example, if you compare Virgin Airlines to cheaper airlines such as Cheapoair, the website designs are fairly dissimilar.
Rhythm help guide the eye for certainty but, sometimes, when properly used, also for confusion. The example I show below seems to provide an expected, concentric design, but it is actually pretty chaotic, like a cacophonic rhythm
https://letters-inc.jp/
The Airbnb experience is definitely much more pleasant than the experience on Twitter. I can imagine getting lost in the rhythm and patterns. While Twitter takes you to different topics and interests.
I found this example by accident on YouTube. It’s about pop music leveraging patterns and repetition. People prefer rhythm. Also, spoken words repeated become music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzzmqUoQobc