The Golden ratio

Have you ever found some products, some people more attractive and visually appealing but you're not sure what does it has & why it looks so..? I'll answer to this!!

A big hi...to everyone who have came to read this post and thanks much for your time.

As a data analyst by profession, I might be working with some data viz tools like Power BI, Tableau to analyze and visualize the data to get more insights. Values become more meaningful when it is presented in the forms like (Bar graph, pie charts, etc..) than a boring tables. Though I've enough experience in building dashboards, I started finding better steps to make it even more attractive. In a search of "Top underrated steps to design a dashboard" I ended up in a treasure called "The Golden Ratio".

It's human nature to get distracted, I too got, but found something interesting and a life changing mechanism. The reason I started writing blogs is to make readers feel comfortable to read and understand complex topics in a simple and deep manner.

What exactly "The Golden Ratio" mean?

In a simple words, if there is a mathematical formula to design something which will be visually appealing and looks like a perfect one. Most of the famous logos, buildings, paintings, images, magazines, websites, music, are made of these Golden ratio/Proportion as a base.

What if I tell you the golden ratio is actually the nature's formula to create anything!!

Yes, the seeds placement in the flowers, hurricane formation, mountains, etc.. are based on this ratio.

Golden ratio = 1.6180....it goes on. The Fibonacci sequence is the sum of the two numbers before it. It goes: 0, 1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21,34, and so . The Greeks developed the Golden Ratio to better express the difference between any two numbers in the sequence from this pattern. But how does it helps to design something more attractive?

we can find the Golden ratio by dividing a line into two parts (a) & (b), the sum of (a) + (b) divided by (a) must be equal to 1.618.... (a)/(b) = (a)+(b)/(a) = 1.618..

We can use this idea to design a layout, logo, etc...

For an example: Let's create a golden rectangle (looks like a perfect one) by using this rule.

Take a square and multiply/divide a side with 1.618 we will get a Golden Rectangle. If the width is 3600 px, divide that by 1.618 which is 2224 px, that's the height. Creating a rectangle with this dimension looks perfect. Likewise, this method can be used to create whatever we want.

Lets see the calculation method, we have already created a rectangle from the square, by laying the square over the rectangle, the two shapes is what the Golden Ratio. By keep on applying this rule on the right side of the rectangle, we will end up getting the smaller squares like the below image.

If an object (physical / digital) satisfies the Golden Ratio & Golden Spiral rule, human brain will subconsciously find that attractive. But what is Golden Spiral?

The Golden Spiral

Let's take one Golden Ratio diagram and by drawing an arc in each square from one to opposite corner, the first curve of Golden Spiral is been created.

By adding arc in each square by connecting the opposite corners, we will end up with a spiral like structure called the Golden Spiral.

List of logos using Golden Ratio

Apple

Twitter

Pepsi

Websites based on Golden Ratio

National Geographic

Facebook

Coursera

Human brain will pay attention to the center of the spiral so, most reputed sites will have their information placed base on the Golden Ratio rule.

Conclusion

I hope, I've explained in a simple way and I'll try to incorporate these rules to design a dashboard, irrespective of the viz tool I use. The Golden Ratio concept has paved the way to view something in a matrix format which is more calculative and easy to understand the design architecture behind an object, logo, Image, etc... So I've tried to answer the most common question of "It has something in it but not sure what it is" . Now you would have understood what is the factor which makes a building, a flower, a mountain, an insect and the celebrities'(Actors/Models) more attractive. The Golden Ratio has no borders, making humanoid AI more realistic, designing a car, a smart watch and what not..?

You name any successful product which has more followers due to the stunning design, there we will have this Golden Ratio under the hood!!

Thanks,

Sree