Quick-Add Design Element Interface for Faster Canvas Editing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing design tools offer a wide array of options for adding and manipulating design elements, but lack a simple and straightforward mechanism for users to quickly add elements, and there is a need for alternative user interface mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A quick-add mechanism is provided through a design platform using a client-server architecture, where a user interaction triggers a quick-add graphical user interface (GUI) with an input field, allowing users to submit a query that is processed against a set of reserved strings to add a defined element to a design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional design tools provide various ways for adding and manipulating design elements, then the versatility and functionality are improved, but the complexity of the interface and the time required to add elements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctionality of design toolVSAvoidinterface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interface is segmented into distinct functional areas: a design canvas area for visual work and a sidebar area for element selection and manipulation. This segmentation allows users to focus on the canvas while having organized access to tools, reducing perceived complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A tooltip system acts as an intermediary between the user and the design elements. When users hover over elements or areas, contextual tooltips provide guidance and information, mediating the interaction and reducing the cognitive load of learning complex interface functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If traditional design tools provide various ways for adding and manipulating design elements, then the functionality is improved, but the time required to add elements increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctionality of design toolVSAvoidspeed of adding elements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Common design elements are pre-configured and made readily accessible in the sidebar. Users can add these pre-prepared elements with a single click or drag-and-drop action, eliminating the need to manually create or search for standard elements, thus maintaining versatility while dramatically improving speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If users follow traditional workflows for adding design elements, then the precision of element selection is improved, but the cognitive burden and attention diversion increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of element selectionVSAvoidcognitive burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The interface provides immediate visual feedback when users interact with elements. Hovering over elements highlights them, tooltips appear with relevant information, and the selected element is clearly indicated. This continuous feedback loop helps users precisely identify and select elements without excessive cognitive effort, as the system actively guides their attention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS12412002B2Systems and methods for adding a design element to a design

Publication Date: 2025.09.09 CANVA PTY LTD

AI summary

Described herein is a computer implemented method for adding an element to a design. The method includes displaying a design canvas and, in response to detecting an insert element user interaction, displaying a quick-add GUI. Text query data is received via the quick-add GUI and a submit query user interaction is detected. In response to determining that the submit query user interaction is associated with an add defined element command, a first design element that is associated with the add defined element command is added to the design.