Visual Hierarchy: 5 web design principles to Keep in Mind

The human eye perceives information visually rather than as a set of data. Unlike machines and computers, we perceive things visually, whether it’s reading material or website design.

You need to understand how visual hierarchy works to ensure your website content communicates as effectively as possible. It is the foundation of any web design. Read on to learn more about visual hierarchy.

What is visual hierarchy?

Visual hierarchy is the pattern in which the human eye processes information on a page. It’s the order in which humans prioritise certain visual elements to be easily understood. These design elements include colours, typography, spacing and contrast.

Why is visual hierarchy important?

In UI design, an excellent visual hierarchy helps inform and persuade users. With it, users will be able to take things in quickly. Also, it minimises users’ uncertainty and gives them something pleasant to view. That’s why you need to organise your design elements so the human eye can make sense of them.

How to organise your web content?

The way users perceive information is affected by several factors contributing to how you can organise your website content with the help of an experienced website design agency in Melbourne. These factors mainly include:

1. Size

The larger the design element, the more attractive it will look on the screen. Just think of a blog headline. The headline uses a large font to indicate what the rest of the text will deliver.

2. Colour

Bold and bright colours are more likely to grab attention. You probably have used a highlighter to mark key points on a photocopied handout. Yellow is more brilliant than white and helps the text stand out. After bright colours, darker colours grab the eye’s attention, followed by lighter tints and subdued shades.

3. Contrast

The contrast would help you showcase the critical content in your web design. This makes sense when you want to distinguish the footer from the header. Also, profoundly contrasting your web colours will catch the eye more than slightly determining them.

4. Alignment

Alignment creates orders and patterns between different design elements. For instance, using a sidebar column along with your web content establishes a priority for the reader. Place important information, such as login buttons, in the top right-hand corner of your webpage. This will create a visual hierarchy that draws the eye first.

5. Whitespace

Lastly, use the white or negative space around the content. It can be any colour of your choice, not just white. This will make it easier for the eye to digest key information. The use of white space can help you prioritise content, too.

Summing up

Visual hierarchy is about organising and ranking your design elements by order of importance. Once you understand your focus, you can create a visual scale that produces the desired impact. Keep in mind that attractive web designs need psychology. So, it’s better to consider your user’s needs before starting your website design.