- We use various tools as a designer
to identify the hierarchy of information
on a page, package or screen.
These tools aide the reader and determine what information
will be read first, next and last.
For decades this approach was somewhat direct.
Simple formula change with the density
of information in our daily lives.
We experience the world in a far more complex way
than our grandparents.
A television screen may have a talking head,
inset videos, scrolling information on the bottom,
and the days temperature on the side.
How then do we create meaning with a hierarchy
in the current landscape of design?
Starting with a simple formula,
the layout used for the last 100 years
consisted of an image to engage the reader,
then a headline of exciting content,
subheads, body text, and finally captions.
This formula works fine.
It directs the viewer around the page
and presents the information in a direct and expected way.
Today the audience is more sophisticated.
Now we can modify the formula
and explore other, more compelling ideas.
For example, you can play with the standard formula
to create a different experience.
A book cover with a big headline,
The Green Book, might convey a book about organic farming
or sustainable practice.
But by adding the small text,
Elementary Education in America,
the meaning changes to refer to a chalkboard.
The most important information can also be hidden
within the layout, forcing the viewer to discover it.
This experience, the joy of discovery,
create the emotional response and will be memorable.
A critical message buried in the composition
may seem to ignore all common sense,
but once the viewer finds it,
he or she will always see it immediately.
A complex composition can quickly become chaotic
with a multitude of dispread elements.
It's important to coordinate the forms
and direct the viewer to specific messages.
A singular colored item that is isolated
can lead the viewer to the headline,
which leads to the other information.
Imagery can direct the viewer
to the least significant information.
Like any complex layout,
you can manage the composition with a clear sense
of structure, scale, and direction.
I can use color or type style to modify a message.
The client may provide a substantial paragraph of text.
You know nobody will read it.
In fact, most people will ignore it.
I can minimize the less critical information
by changing the color to something lighter
and allowing the primary data to be stronger.
I can change the type size
to create distinct levels of importance.
The point is not to eliminate the copy.
It's still there.
Your choice is to find the message.
By highlighting some words over others,
you control the viewers experience.
In the Foundation course, I discuss hierarchy
as a practical idea to create a more legible experience.
The concepts presented here take that approach
one step further.
Beyond merely helping the viewer understand
you are now defining the message,
customizing the communication,
and challenging preconceptions.
When we do this as designers, we move
from organizing into creating content and meaning.