“Gestalt” is a German word that literally translates to “form, shape.” It entered English in the 1920s as a psychology term — Gestalt psychology suggests that the mind does not see one small component of the world at a time. Instead, we’re constantly perceiving things as elements of a more complex system or whole. In design, the “Gestalt Principles” state that humans perceive elements together, and designers should take that into consideration with their designs.