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Otherwise-good food is ruined because you're
not able to appreciate each taste and texture. In the same way, it's
impossible to enjoy a website where all the content is mixed up and you
can't digest individual elements.
That's where the principle of proximity comes
in. It states:
Elements that are related should be visually connected. Likewise, elements
that are not related should be visually separated.
It's basically the same concept as the use of
paragraphs in an article. When I begin a new paragraph, you can tell by the
physical separation that I am starting a new thought. By the same token, the
closeness in proximity means each sentence in the paragraph should relate to
the others in that same paragraph.
So how do you make effective use of
proximity?
Here are the dos and don'ts:
-
DO use white space to separate things that
aren't related. When you're laying out a web page, put everything into
groups (for example, navigation, copy, contact/copyright info, news
items, ads, special focus sections, etc.). After you've grouped
everything, make sure the groups are adequately separated from each
other.
-
DON'T use white space to break up items
that belong together. For example, don't put space between your heading
and the first line of your copy. Don't put space between a picture and
its caption, or between a product description and the order button.
Closeness in proximity should be used to help the eye recognize when
certain things should be understood together.
Instead of separating related items, put white space AROUND these
groupings. This will emphasize the fact that the information contained
in the framed area goes together.
-
DON'T feel obligated to fill every nook
and cranny of your site. Having some empty space is a good thing,
because it gives your site breathing room. Focus on an open, airy
layout. Again, empty space between elements helps your eye focus more
easily on the groups.
-
DON'T confuse white space with dead space.
White space is intentional; dead space is not. Dead space is merely
empty pockets of space without a purpose. If your site is filled with
dead space, no relationships will be emphasized, and it won't be
visually obvious what items should be understood together. This makes
your page look cluttered.
Work hard to make sure you're actually
using space (or lack of it) to emphasize which elements go together and
which do not.
-
DO use white space to create a dramatic
effect. The eye is drawn to isolated objects. The more isolated an
object is, the more pull power it has on your eyes. So if you want a big
effect, use a lot of space. Take this for an example: Isolated
If your eye jumped to the word in the sea
of white space, you just proved my point. That's the power of space to
visually emphasize an object.
Elements that are related should be
visually connected. Elements that are not related should be visually
separated.
Now, put the principle to use!
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