Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated

Hierarchy

Hierarchical organization is the simplest structure for visualizing and understanding complexity.

Increasing the visibility of the hierarchical relationships within a system is one of the most effective ways to increase knowledge about the system. Examples of visible hierarchies are book outlines, multi-level software menus, and classification diagrams. Perception of hierarchical relationships among elements is primarily a function of their relative left-right and top-down positions, but is also influenced by their proximity, size, and the presence of connecting lines. Superordinate elements are commonly referred to as parent elements, and subordinate elements as child elements. There are three basic ways to visually represent hierarchy: ...