Grids graphic design12/20/2023 ![]() ![]() This includes things like buttons and form inputs. In this approach, the sizing of solid elements takes priority when matched to your predetermined spatial system. Which measurement should I prioritize? There are two ways to address this: Element first (strict element sizing) In this example, you can see that the line-height of this text is 20px but if I used an 8px padding on the top and bottom, the button will have a height of 36px. The following examples show that sometimes your paddings cannot be enforced at the same time as a strict height definition. How do I apply a spatial system?Īpplying the spatial scale to your UI elements can come in the form of padding, margin, height, and width definitions. On a similar front, scaling UIs for different mobile and desktop screens that require 1.5x scale will result in split pixel blurriness. For example, centering text and icons in a 25px height button could create blurry split pixels for some users. Introducing odd numbers, like a 5pt base, into spatial rules can make it difficult to center elements without splitting pixels. I also utilize a half unit of 4pts for spacing icons or adjusting small blocks of text. I find that 8pt increments are the right balance of being visually distant while having a reasonable number of variables. It becomes more difficult to eyeball the difference between a 12pt and 16pt padding difference, which can make it hard to enforce consistency across a team. ![]() Number of variablesĬhoosing a smaller base unit like 4pt, 5pt, or 6pt can open you up to too many variables in your system. Do you want a spacious UI with large font styles and a limited number of actions? Do you need to build for information density with intricate data tables and multiple actions for a technical user? Survey your existing designs and create a mood board to get clarity and alignment for you and your team. Think about your design’s users and the general brand aesthetic you’re going for. Here are some things to consider: User needs This system is meant to reduce confusion but also be easy to implement.īe reasonable about your needs as you explore building your own spatial system. I prefer a 4pt baseline grid for my typography which means the line-heights of my font choices will always be divisible by 4. My preferred method is an 8pt linear scale for elements with a 4pt half step for spacing icons or small text blocks. There is no wrong answer here as long as you are aware of what some of these directions promote and prevent. ![]() You’ll see 4pt, 5pt, 6pt, 8pt, 10pt increment systems. Looking at different products around the web you’ll see a few different approaches to this. How do you start a spatial system?ĭefining your base unit will allow you to create the scale of supported sizes in your spatial system. Since these decisions are also captured in the codebase you save time on red-lining for engineers. You can easily pick up where another designer left off or comfortably build in parallel. No matter who is working on the design, there’s now a consistent spatial language and the choices you have to make are greatly reduced. This increases trust and affection for the brand. For users, the experience is polished and predictable. When this same login form is adjusted to follow an 8pt spatial system the rhythm becomes predictable and visually pleasing. The predictability of a rhythm is visually pleasing and something you’ve come to expect from brands you trust. To users, the design can feel cheap, inconsistent, and generally untrustworthy. One example of a spatial system is “the 8pt grid.” However, there are many variations and configurations to choose from.Īs an example, notice how the login form feels when it does not have an immediately recognizable spatial pattern. Uniformity on a spatial level allows your product to be more consistent, your team to communicate better, and reduce the number of decisions designers have to make in a day. A spatial system is a set of rules for how you measure, size, and space your UI elements. What is a spatial system?ĭesigners make spatial decisions every day from the height of a button to the space around an icon. In this guide, we’ll walk through the basics of defining spatial base units, creating relationship rules with grids, and bringing it all together for modern UI layouts. This foundational scaffolding is a requirement for all design systems. Spatial systems, grids, and layouts provide rules that give your designs a consistent rhythm, constrain decision making, and help teams stay aligned. The organization of space is key to every great design. ![]()
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