Designing with Intent: Mastering Visual Hierarchy in UI
by Rubin Maharjan,
Start with the Real Goal: Clarity
When we talk about visual hierarchy in UI design, we're really talking about communication. Your interface isn't just a collection of buttons and boxes — it's a map. And every map needs clear landmarks.
Visual hierarchy is what allows users to scan, navigate, and interact without confusion. It’s the backbone of intuitive design, especially when dealing with complex content or data-heavy layouts.
Size Isn’t Everything — But It Helps
Size is the most basic (and often most overused) tool in the hierarchy toolbox. Larger elements attract more attention, but cranking up font size without restraint often leads to bloated, clumsy UIs.
A better approach: combine size with contrast and spacing to create more subtle, effective emphasis. Headings should lead the eye, not dominate the screen.
Contrast: The Quickest Win
High-contrast elements pop. Low-contrast elements recede. Simple as that.
Use this principle to your advantage:
- Darker colors for primary content (e.g., headlines, product names)
- Softer grays for secondary content (e.g., dates, metadata)
- Muted tones for tertiary content (e.g., legal disclaimers)
Avoid using light gray text on colored backgrounds. Instead, tweak hue and lightness for better legibility.
Font Weight: Underutilized but Powerful
Rather than increasing size, try bumping up font weight. A semibold label can stand out next to a regular paragraph without disrupting flow or causing layout shifts.
Most interfaces don’t need five weights. Just two — regular and bold — used thoughtfully, can go a long way.
Spacing = Breathing Room
Clutter kills clarity. Use spacing to group related items and separate unrelated ones. This helps users understand relationships between elements without relying on borders or boxes.
Top tip
Always make sure there’s more space around a group than within it. That’s how users visually understand what belongs together.
Use consistent vertical spacing — and if you’re unsure, err on the side of more. Over-tightening is a common mistake that makes content feel dense and overwhelming.
Use Color to Support (Not Scream)
Color is often misused as the primary way to establish hierarchy. But when everything is colorful, nothing stands out.
Instead, treat color as a supporting tool:
- Use bold colors for calls to action.
- Use muted tones for less critical information.
- Reserve bright colors for things that need user attention — like errors, alerts, or status indicators.
Avoid using color alone to convey meaning. Always pair it with text or an icon for accessibility.
Labels Should Help, Not Compete
When designing data-heavy UIs, resist the urge to label every single field with equal weight. Labels should be supportive — not dominant.
Use smaller size, lighter weight, and subdued color to push labels into the background, letting the content take the spotlight.
Visual Order ≠ Code Order
Sometimes the most important element in a section isn’t the first in your code — and that’s okay. Use layout, scale, and contrast to visually prioritize what users should see first.
Just because something is an <h1> doesn’t mean it has to look massive.
A Hierarchy-First Mindset
When building interfaces, think in layers:
- Primary: What should users notice immediately?
- Secondary: What supports the main action or idea?
- Tertiary: What’s helpful but not essential?
Every screen should have a clear answer to these three layers. If everything is shouting, your design is failing.
In Summary
Good hierarchy is invisible. It doesn’t demand attention — it earns it. It makes your UI easier to scan, your content easier to read, and your product easier to use.
So the next time you're refining a screen, ask yourself: What do I want the user to see first? Then, make it obvious — and make everything else follow.