F Patterns Vs. Z Patterns
The first sense when we interact with digital products is the eyes. So, why as designers we should know about eye tracking to improve user experience and make content more accessible.
Eye tracking: the way people look at things.
From our design, we can guide users to focus on things that they should focus on.
How to guide them?
From the research that Nielsen Norman did, there are two common alternatives to optimize human eye movement
F Patterns
The F-Pattern describes the way a person’s eyes will move across a page that is dense with text.
Pros:
- Improve readability: The F-pattern is based on the idea that users tend to read content in a specific way, and by designing the interface to align with this pattern, designers can create interfaces that are more readable and easier to scan.
- Prioritize important content: This can be especially important for interfaces that require users to take specific actions or make decisions, as it helps to ensure that the most important information is communicated clearly.
- Guide users through a natural scanning process: The F-pattern is based on the way that users read and interact with content on a screen. This can help to reduce cognitive load and make the interface more user-friendly.
Tips for implementing F Pattern:
- Place important content in the top-left: Users tend to focus on the top-left corner of the screen first, so it is essential to place important content such as logos, navigation menus, and calls to action in this area.
- Use whitespace to guide the eye: Whitespace can be used to create visual breaks in the UI and guide the user’s eye to important content. This can be achieved by adding padding and margins between elements, and by grouping related content together.
- Break up text with headings, images, or bold text: Long blocks of text can be difficult for users to read and scan. By breaking up text with headings, images, or bold text, designers can make it easier for users to scan and find the information they need.
- Keep content concise and to the point: Users tend to scan content quickly, so it is important to keep content concise and to the point. This can be achieved by using short paragraphs, bullet points, and other formatting techniques.
Z Patterns
The Z-pattern arranges content in a diagonal Z-shape, guiding the user’s eye from the top-left to the bottom-right corner in a pattern similar to the letter Z.
Pros:
- Direct users to CTA buttons: This method can be an effective way to direct the user’s attention toward a call-to-action (CTA) button, which can be placed at the end of the Z-line to ensure it is seen and read by users.
- Enhance visual hierarchy: Visual hierarchy involves using design elements such as size, color, and contrast to create an order of importance within the interface. Designers can enhance the visual hierarchy by ensuring that important content and design elements are placed along the Z-line, which is the most prominent area of the interface.
- Organize content effectively: The Z-pattern can be used to organize content effectively by grouping related content along the Z-line. This can help users to understand the structure of the interface and find the information they need more easily.
Tips for implementing Z patterns:
- Place the call-to-action (CTA) at the end of the Z line: The Z-pattern involves guiding the user’s eye from the top-left corner diagonally down to the bottom-right, and then back up to the top-right corner. To make the most of this scanning pattern, designers can place the call-to-action at the end of the Z line (i.e., at the bottom-right corner). This helps to ensure that the CTA is seen by users as they scan through the interface.
- Use visual hierarchy to guide the eye: Visual hierarchy involves using size, color, contrast, and other design elements to make certain elements stand out and attract the user’s attention. For example, designers can use larger fonts and bolder colors for headings and important text, or use contrasting colors to make buttons and CTAs stand out.
So, both of the methods have their own benefit and really enhance user experience. The first thing we should do is know our user better by conducting user research and then we can choose which method really fit our design.
Want to understand more about F patterns and Z patterns? click this article
Any other method besides F and Z patterns? Comment below and share with us!
