Cognitive Processes Causing the Relationship between Aesthetics and Usability

We conducted an experiment to find out which cognitive processes underlie the high correlations between aesthetic impression and perceived usability of a user interface reported in several studies. Four online shops differing in colour scheme and usability level were created and tested before and after an interaction period to gain support for two differing models of explanation. One stems from Norman who hypothesizes that mood is a mediator between design and perceived usability whereas the other is based on the well known "What is beautiful is good" phenomenon from social psychology and market research. The data provide support for the approach of Norman whereas the high correlations couldn't be replicated. Another interesting finding was that our results militate rather for a "What is usable is beautiful"- relation than the other way round as hypothesized.

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