A short YouTube video by Matt D. Smith arguing for the importance of negative space in interface design. He frames negative space as "design oxygen," uses a water-flow metaphor to show how tight layout bottlenecks harm usability, and notes this tip is item 21 in his UI checklist of 101.
Matt D. Smith
Item 21 of 101
I keep making these interfaces that feel cramped and tight, and I don't know why. Negative space is design oxygen. Without it, your designs will die. Design oxygen? What do you mean? Think of it like this. Imagine water flowing around the objects in your interface. Would it flow freely, or would there be tight bottlenecks? If so, that's usually a problem area. Ah, so I need to give everything more breathing room. Exactly. Don't create tiny little coffins for your elements to live in. Ouch. This is number 21 on my UI checklist of 101 things to keep in mind when designing beautiful and functional interfaces. All right, I'll think about the water metaphor because.
