Using hierarchy to lead the viewer

Unlike people, all content is not created equal.…As a designer, it is your job to…determine which part of the message is most important.…When a client gives me copy or content, he or she will…point out the issues that are important and need to be highlighted.…Unfortunately, this can end up being the headline, the…subhead, and the first paragraph, oh, and the other copy.…And the captions…are important, too.…This is all fine, except the result when…everything is critical, is that nothing stands out.…

This is like getting an e-mail from someone who…types in all caps, because the entire message is important.…Nobody wants to read a page of shouting, so you don't bother.…As designers, we help guide the viewer through the information.…By providing a sense of hierarchy,…we let the viewer know what should be seen first, next and last.…Let's start with the way people access information.…When we first see a page, whether it's print or…screen based, we look for the biggest image, it's human nature.…

Next, looking from left to right and top to bottom, we find the largest words.…