How To Use Visual Hierarchy In Your Design Portfolio

Here’s my hot take on #portfolios: we need to stop telling designers to focus on showcasing their process over their final concept. Of course demonstrating your design process is important - but in this job market, strong key visuals are crucial to getting hired. Having reviewed quite a few portfolios recently, I’ve noticed that this final polish is something a lot of designers, especially students or new grads, really struggle with. So here are some tips that might help - 1. Use High-Quality Photography: Engaging, high-definition photos can instantly elevate your UI. There are fantastic, free photo resources (my favourite is the Unsplash plugin in Figma) that will bring so much brightness and professionalism to your work. Just make sure the photos generally complement your color palette. 2. Choose a Cohesive Color Palette: Following on from my last point, try to avoid using too many different colors. I recommend sticking to three main color groups: off-blacks for text, off-whites for backgrounds, and one accent color for buttons, links, gradients etc. Bright, vibrant tones make your work pop on screen, so steer clear of dull colors that are better suited for print. 3. Play with Drop Shadows and Gradients: Light drop shadows and subtle gradients can give a UI a fresh, modern feel. Just make sure not to overdo it! Keep it simple with linear gradients and light, blurred shadows for a clean finish. 4. Create Visual Hierarchy: Avoid making every element in your UI the same size and color. Step back and consider what information you want users to notice first. In the example below, I guide the user's attention to the hero image first, then key details like the product name and price, then finally to additional information. Highlight important details and separate them visually using tags, icons and buttons. 5. Embrace Negative Space: Give elements room to breathe! Remember, users can scroll or click for more—there’s no need to fit everything into one screen. Add padding between elements and avoid large background blocks of flat color. You'll see the difference straight away! These are tips I’ve gathered throughout my career that have helped me land exciting projects. But ultimately, design is totally subjective and your portfolio should represent you as a designer. So take these tips with a grain of salt and trust your instincts! #productdesigner #portfoliotips

In web design, first impressions matter—big time. And one of the key elements that shape that impression is visual hierarchy. It’s not just about making things look good; it’s about guiding the user's attention exactly where you want it to go. 👀 Visual hierarchy is a fundamental design principle that organizes elements based on their importance, and hence guiding users' attention naturally. ⏩ 🚩 It involves manipulating elements like size, color, contrast, alignment, proximity, and whitespace to establish a clear structure. This ensures users can easily navigate the page, improving usability and overall user experience. Think of visual hierarchy as the silent conductor of your design. It determines what stands out and what fades into the background. Elements like size, color, contrast, and placement work together to direct the user’s eyes to the most important parts of the page. Whether it’s a bold headline, a brightly colored CTA button, or an eye-catching image, hierarchy ensures users know what to do next. 🎯 Take websites like Apple or Airbnb, for example. Their use of large, engaging visuals, coupled with clean typography and strategically placed buttons, leads users effortlessly through the content. It’s design magic, but there’s real psychology behind it. So, how can you create clear and effective visual hierarchies? Start by prioritizing your content: what’s most important? Use larger fonts, contrasting colors, or bolder elements to draw attention. Then, play with space—give key items room to breathe. Finally, remember: simplicity is key. The cleaner the design, the easier the navigation. ✨ 📣Visual hierarchy isn’t just about style—it’s about usability. And a well-organized design speaks louder than words. #WebDesign #UXDesign #VisualHierarchy #DesignThinking #UIUX #DesignTips #DigitalDesign

An important dimension of learning design is communication through the elements on the slide, screen, and page—the images, text, and graphic space. The arrangement of these elements transmits a secondary message through its visual hierarchy. A visual hierarchy establishes the relative importance of each object on display. It controls where a viewer looks first, second, and third. Step back and determine what is most important for the learner or viewer to see first, second, and third. Then use one or more of these strategies to establish a visual hierarchy. 1) Use size to emphasize the most important element first. Larger sized elements draw attention. Save the smaller elements for lower levels of the hierarchy. 2) Use bright and vivid colors at the top of the visual hierarchy and more muted colors for the second and third levels. 3) Position on the screen affects hierarchy. People who read from left to right enter a screen or page at the upper left, making it prime real estate. 4) Users typically follow a Z-shaped reading pattern (for simpler layouts) or F-shaped pattern (for text-heavy pages), so place key elements along one of these paths to maximize visual impact. 5) Use high-contrast colors, shapes, or textures to grab attention and create a focal point at the top of the hierarchy. 6) Use white space to isolate and highlight important elements to create a visual hierarchy. 7) Use leading lines and arrows to guide the viewer's eye to key visual elements. Tomorrow: Establishing a Typographical Hierarchy

Principle 7: Create a Visual Hierarchy This is the seventh in a series of 24 principles we use at Hatch Duo to craft visually compelling, timeless products. Visual hierarchy organizes a product’s elements to guide attention, clarify actions, and create an intuitive first impression. Visual Hierarchy Matters Hierarchy defines focus and flow: - Color draws the eye to key actions or logos - Form and scale highlight controls over passive surfaces - Subtle textures or tones can separate primary and secondary elements - Lack of hierarchy makes products feel confusing, busy, or unrefined Strong hierarchy creates clarity. Users know where to look, what to touch, and how to trust the object. Hierarchy Enhances Usability and Brand Recognition - Important actions feel obvious and inviting - Branding feels purposeful, not intrusive - Surfaces feel organized, not cluttered - Clear flow builds product confidence and brand recall Visual Hierarchy in Practice Products that master hierarchy balance boldness with subtlety: - Pixel Buds use a small pop of color on the touch surface for intuitive control - Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 uses color-coded knobs and a clean layout to guide interaction - Logitech POP Keys highlights interactive zones with playful color contrast and emoji buttons Good hierarchy isn’t loud, it’s confident, clean, and deliberate. Applying Hierarchy with Purpose Highlight with Form and Contrast: → Elevate key features by adjusting size, shape, or color saturation Subdue Secondary Elements: → Use muted tones, minimal detailing, or simple geometry for less important areas Guide the User's Eye: → Lead attention naturally from primary to secondary zones through visual weight Maintain Consistency Across Touchpoints: → Apply the same rules across every view, surface, and interaction Hierarchy shapes how users experience a product without needing instructions. When crafted with care, it builds trust, improves usability, and elevates a product’s presence in every environment. This is just one of 24 principles we use at Hatch Duo to craft elegant aesthetics in physical product design. Stay tuned for the next principle in our Aesthetic Principles Series. #design #visualhierarchy #industrialdesign #hatchduo #productdesign