What is visual hierarchy?

Visual hierarchy refers to the systematic arrangement of information on a page, prioritizing elements in a manner that facilitates easy understanding by users. A well-defined visual hierarchy and design structure prevent users from feeling overwhelmed and ensure that they can effectively process the presented information. By organizing elements in a way that aligns with how the human eye naturally perceives information, the content becomes more digestible and engaging.

How to use visual hierarchy in your designs

Visual hierarchy plays a crucial role in establishing a focal point within a design, providing viewers with a starting point for navigation and highlighting the most significant information. The components of visual hierarchy encompass the following elements:

Color

Color serves as a visual organizational tool that our brain utilizes to navigate through a design. In the provided Spotify ad, the strategic use of a vibrant green color directs our attention, guiding our eyes through the ad and emphasizing the significance of the headline and logo.

Contrast

Notable shifts in color or text within a design create a sense of change and effectively capture the viewer’s attention. Consider the following example: despite the text “download for free” being of the same size, our focus is drawn towards “for free” due to the contrast in the font’s weight. This subtle tactic can be employed to accentuate the main message within your design.

Patterns

Here’s an interesting fact: every individual has a unique viewing pattern they use to consume information and content. The two most prevalent viewing patterns are the Z pattern and the F pattern.

The Z pattern involves the eye following a path resembling the letter Z, starting from the top left to right, then diagonally down to the left, and finally horizontally across to the right. This pattern is well-suited for designs that are not heavily focused on content, as it enables viewers to quickly scan through elements.

On the other hand, the F pattern follows a path resembling the letter F, beginning from the top left and moving horizontally to the top right, then vertically down to the following line from left to right. This pattern is particularly effective for content-heavy designs, as it facilitates scanning of images and headlines.

As a designer, it’s crucial to recognize that content-heavy pages are better suited for an F-pattern design, while pages with less content are typically more readable and engaging with a Z-pattern design.

Spacing

White space, or blank space, along with proper spacing, is often overlooked but holds significant importance in design principles. Neglecting to incorporate sufficient blank space in a layout, driven by a desire to include excessive information, can result in a cluttered and confusing design. This is because white space plays a vital role in separating and organizing elements within a design, contributing to its overall visual harmony and balance.

Proximity

Creating visual hierarchy in your presentation extends beyond color. The placement of elements within the space can also be utilized to establish sections and sub-sections, visually grouping images, text, or icons. By placing elements in close proximity, you convey their relationship to the audience, while separation creates negative space that signifies their disconnection. Therefore, carefully designing the arrangement of elements within your slides aids in communicating the organizational structure and enhances the overall visual hierarchy of your presentation.

Repetition

When elements share a consistent style, position, and scale, they create a sense of harmony and rhythm that the audience perceives as closely linked. This repetition not only facilitates slide navigation for the audience but also enables you to visually group or distinguish elements based on their similarities or differences. By employing repetition effectively, you can enhance the overall coherence and visual organization of your presentation.

Alignment

Alignment is a crucial factor in establishing a strong visual hierarchy, and even small adjustments can have a significant impact. Whether your design incorporates text or graphic elements, it is essential to avoid random placement within the composition. Many graphic designs adopt justified or centered alignment, distributing elements evenly across the page and aligning them with the left and right margins. By avoiding haphazard placement, you prevent the creation of a chaotic visual scene that can result from randomly scattered words and visuals.

Rule of Odds

The Rule of Odds is a powerful principle of visual hierarchy that directs attention to specific images by centering them within a group of familiar patterns. By strategically arranging objects of the same size and number on either side of the main focal point, the central element, which holds the most visual significance, is emphasized. This technique creates an odd-numbered grouping element, further enhancing the visual impact and effectiveness of the composition.