Visual Design Solutions: Principles and Creative Inspiration for Learning Professionals

Chapter 8Establish a Visual Hierarchy

“Much of visual communication has been left to intuition and happenstance.”

— Donis A. Dondis

The Framework

THIS CHAPTER answers these questions:

• How can I control where viewers look?
• How do people scan a screen or page?
• How do I create a visual hierarchy with visuals and text?

Did you ever hike through a forest that had poorly marked trails and you were unsure of what path to take? With no visual cues to mark the route, you weren't sure how to proceed. When it comes to visual design, users have a similar experience. When looking at a screen or slide, they need help finding their way. Otherwise they become confused or they waste effort, unsure of what to look at first.

As a designer, your job is to provide an obvious path for the viewer's eyes to follow. You can achieve this by creating a hierarchical structure of dominant and subdominant forms. In this chapter, you will learn techniques for establishing a visual hierarchy. You will begin to see that, without a visual hierarchy, a design falls flat.

What Is a Visual Hierarchy?

Look at both graphics in Figure 8.1 and notice what happens to your attention as you view each one. Were you unsure of where to focus when viewing the graphic on the left? Did you scan the graphic for meaning and eventually start reading from the top in a downward direction? This graphic was not designed with ...