Do you ever wonder how people will view your website, print ad or any type of design composition? As in, which elements they’ll notice first, second or last? Which elements viewers might miss altogether?

If you want to be sure that your designs are as effective as possible, then you need to check out Visual Attention Software (VAS) by 3M. This incredible tool will allow you to see how people will view your designs at a 92% accuracy.

With VAS, you can predict which elements viewers will notice and in what order. You can also see which elements viewers might not even see. So, if you're looking for a way to fine-tune your designs and make sure they are as effective as possible, then don't miss out on VAS.

What is visual hierarchy again?

Visual hierarchy is the principle that governs how we perceive and process visual information. It dictates that our eyes are drawn to certain elements in a scene first, before moving on to others. This happens because our brains naturally prioritize some objects over others – based on factors like size, color, or position (Read more about this in my blog post that explains visual hierarchy in depth).

By understanding visual hierarchy, you can use it to your advantage in design. For example, you can use it to draw attention to important call-to-actions, tell a story, or convey a particular mood or message.

What is the secret to achieving visual hierarchy?

The secret is to understand how the human brain works. The brain is hardwired to recognize and process certain types of information first. So, if you want your designs to be effective, you need to cater to those instincts.

Here are some tips for using visual hierarchy in your designs:

1. Use size to your advantage

One of the most important factors in visual hierarchy is size. Our brains are naturally drawn to larger objects first, so you can use this to your advantage. If you want to draw attention to a particular element, make it bigger. Conversely, if you want to reduce the importance of an element, make it smaller.

2. Use color contrast to attract attention

Color is another important factor in visual hierarchy. Our brains are naturally drawn to high color contrast. For example, if you want to draw attention to a call-to-action button, make it a bright and saturated red on top of a white background. The striking visual difference in color (quantified by the contrast ratio) will draw attention to whichever element is in the foreground. On the other hand, if you want to de-emphasize an element, make it so that its color is closer in brightness to whatever color is in the background.

3. Use position to control the eye's movement

The position of an element can also influence visual hierarchy. Our eyes are naturally drawn to elements at the top of a design composition first. This is due to hundreds of years of adaptation–books are read from top-to-bottom for example.

If you want to draw attention to a particular element, place it at the top of the composition. Conversely, if you want to de-emphasize an element, place it on the periphery or at the bottom of the composition.

Would you want to predict how people will actually view your visual hierarchy?

Imagine getting immediate feedback on your design without having to reach out to a single human being (we all know how crucial design feedback is).

Imagine knowing the exact sequence in which viewers will notice the elements that you laid out.

Imagine knowing which elements they might miss altogether!

If you answered yes to the above question, then you need to check out Visual Attention Software (VAS) by 3M.

Visual Attention Software by 3M will show you how people view your layouts at a 92% accuracy.

From the 3M website:

"VAS predicts what viewers will see at first glance - with 92% accuracy - so you can quickly see what your audience sees."

That's a big claim.

The software has been expertly crafted by neuro- and data scientists to simulate how people will see your visuals within the first 3-5 seconds. This initial glance is crucial in sustaining your audience’s interest and crafting designs with impact.

By the way, VAS is applicable to any sort of medium: web, print, packaging, signage, and more.

What this tool really provides is confidence. You'll know, nearly for sure, that your most important ideas are getting through loud and clear.

This, in turn, allows you to spend more time creating and less time convincing your audience.

Visual Attention Software features

Gaze sequence

“The gaze sequence is the four most likely locations a person will glance, in the probable viewing order, within the first 3-5 seconds.”

Hotspots

“VAS scores the probability that a person will look somewhere in the hotspot regions of the heatmap results within the first 3-5 seconds of seeing the visual content.”

Heatmap

Same as “Hotspots” but presented differently.

Examples: Checking visual hierarchy with Visual Attention Software by 3M

Cool looking ad but people might miss the offer!

Let's reiterate why print and digital designers would want to use this tool to design layouts

1. Immediately get feedback on your design without having to reach out to a single human being.
2. Predict what viewers will see at first glance with 92% accuracy.
3. Know the exact sequence in which viewers will notice the elements in your layout.
4. Know which important elements they might miss altogether.
5. Craft designs with impact using clear-cut data of how people view visuals.
6. Have the confidence and peace of mind that your most important ideas are getting through loud and clear. It's like having a visual spellcheck!
7. Spend more time creating and less time convincing your audience - knowing they're seeing your designs the way you intended it!

"It's like having a visual spellcheck!" -3M

Wrapping up

Designers struggle with creating a visual hierarchy for their compositions all the time. This is because it's difficult to create a layout that is not only visually pleasing but also has a clear intended element-viewing sequence to facilitate comprehension. Thankfully, VAS by 3M is here to help designers achieve this goal. Upload your composition and have VAS show you exactly how people will view your work at first glance (and at a 92% accuracy which is incredibly impressive!). Use that immediate feedback to make the appropriate changes to your composition and gain the confidence that your message and ideas are getting through loud and clear.