conventions and mimic as many sensorial, real world elements
as possible. Map interfaces looked like faded and stained
treasure maps, deep drop-shadows created virtual depth, and
richly textured environments launched users into immersive 3D
worlds. This was a time of widely variable interface
experimentation, as designers combined text, graphics, audio,
video and animation in unique ways to make encyclopedias,
video games, and educational programs that simply weren’t
practical before CD-ROMs.
Figure 2.x Brushed metal UI example
The invocation of physical materials and properties also found its
way into standard programs and operating systems. Apple first
introduced a brushed metal interface style with Quicktime 4.0,
which later became a dominant feature of their OS X operating
system. By 2004, Apple had canonized the brushed metal in
their Human Interface Guidelines (HIG), encouraging designers
to use the visual treatment if their program “strives to recreate a
familiar physical device — Calculator or DVD player, for
example.”^27 This visual reference to a physical material was less
sensorial than metaphorical, acting as a bridge to ostensibly
enhance usability and understanding as behaviors transitioned
from physical to digital devices. This was the same rationale
employed for the early versions of Apple’s iOS and, over time,
both operating systems evolved to use simpler UI styles once
users became familiar with the platforms.
Referencing physical materials through a visual treatment
obviously cannot engage our senses in the same way as their
physical counterparts. Graphics that look like leather, felt, steel,
or linen are often little more than interface decoration. The
sensorial limitations of these graphic treatments highlight the
distinction between Interface and Interaction Design. Static
(^27) "Brushed Metal and The HIG." Daring Fireball. Accessed January 25, 2015.
http://daringfireball.net/2004/10/brushedmetal.