3.5 Gestalt principles

Two diagrams illustrating Gestalt principles: on the left, a grid of grey circles with a vertical column of pink triangles demonstrates Similarity; on the right, the same grey circles arranged in two distinct groups with a gap between them demonstrates Proximity.

Similar shapes and close spacing signal grouping to users instantly.

The Principle: The human brain naturally perceives objects as organized patterns. Elements that are close together or look similar are perceived as related.

  • Group Related Items: Use whitespace to separate different sections and keep related fields (like "Username" and "Password" close.
  • Consistency: Use the same color, shape, and size for buttons that perform the same function to help users categorize them instantly.