Edit: The author of the article originally mentioned in this blog post deleted their article from Medium. Here are some different articles that discuss the role of hierarchy in UX/UI design:
- “The Squint Test: How quick exposure to design can reveal its flaws” by Jeff Gothelf. The article explains what the “squint test” is and how it can be used to improve designs.
- “Key Principles of Visual Hierarchy in UX Design” by Caleb Kingston. The article discusses the role that color, contrast, scale, grouping, (and more) play in establishing visual hierarchy.
The article also discusses an interesting method of assessing the hierarchy of your own designs – the squint test. By looking at your design while squinting, or applying a blur effect, you’re able to evaluate the design hierarchy without as much input from the text. The article features images of a blur effect in action and how it catches unintentional groupings between items.