Designs that Fool our Brains
Cognitive designs emphasize features and functions that put us in a particular frame of mind. The goal is to use interaction to create specific perceptions, thoughts, feelings and action propensities in anyone that comes in contact with the design. In short, strong cognitive designs create a distinctive think-and-feel experience.
One example of a distinctive think-and-feel is illusion or putting us in the frame of mind to believe something about the world that is not true. For some excellent examples check out the finalists in the 2011 Best Illusions of the Year Contest. I especially like Silencing Awareness by Background Motion (shown).
Click on the image and go watch the video. Did the dots seem to stop changing color when the object rotated? If so, you experienced an illusion. Watch the video again only this time stare at a single dot. Watch closely as the object rotates and you will see that the dot continues to change color. Once you see it the illusion will fail to work.
