Chapter 4

Proximity of elements on a page usually creates a group of information from the point of view of the user. The designer should use this to his or her advantage and group elements that truly fit together. The association can be increased by manipulating size, shape, color, direction, and texture of specific elements and sub groups may be formed.

A well thought out hierarchy is crucial in the development of an effective website design. Images and content are prioritized and the attributes of each element are adjusted so the user will be guided through the composition in the order intended by the designer. This process helps to ensure that the end user will experience the website as the designer wanted them to and that all interpretations will nearly match the designer’s intended meaning.

In the process of creating a visual hierarchy, it may be easy to end up with a page that is not balanced. If the top of the page is heavier than the bottom, or the left is heavier than the right, it really stands out and can render the intended hierarchy completely useless. It is important to use different weights, shades, and white space effectively in order to achieve a balanced composition.

When creating a website, it can be very useful to create a set of styles that will remain consistent from page to page. Information that falls into the same group or in the same level of hierarchy may be the same font, size, or color. This assists the user in knowing where they are in the site and what they may find through each link. This idea of establishing a consistent style is one of the reasons that CSS is so useful.

As a fairly general statement, but an important one, hierarchy increases readability. If implemented effectively, it guides the user through the experience by presenting the most important information in the forefront and leaving the rest on lower levels. In order to harness the power of the hierarchy, again the designer must have a firm grasp on the expectations and needs of the end user.