F-Pattern
Today I would like to present to you another design pattern, according to which designers can create their designs. I have already written about it in an article entitled “Pattern — in general”, but today I would like us to look at it more closely. Before the designer chooses the appropriate pattern for his project, he must determine how it is most likely that users will display and scan this project. The F pattern is very interesting, reflecting the way of reading — at the very beginning, the user is encouraged to focus their attention by placing the highest value and most interesting content in the upper left corner. From the designer’s point of view, the first two paragraphs in the content block are the most important. If the paragraph does not capture the visitor’s attention, they will quickly leave the page. The content placed in the first point of contact between the user and the page is supposed to engage them to follow further elements.
What does the F pattern look like in practice?
When entering a website, a person’s attention is focused on its top — to read the most important headlines. The next stage is to look to the left to catch any numbering or bullet points. In the end, attention returns to the right to read the bold (distinctive) text. When implementing the F pattern, it should be remembered that this pattern takes different shapes. What do I mean? Sometimes the recipients of your content will only read one horizontal line, which will more closely resemble an upside-down letter “L”, while others will focus their attention on the third section and during such reading, the letter “E” will be created. This pattern does not always contain exactly three parts. When users are engaged in reading, that is, when they find something they like, they begin to read normally, creating horizontal lines.
In which projects to use the F pattern?
We use it in all projects where there is a lot of content and information because it is a natural way of reading and it is just easier for users. Therefore, we can safely say that this pattern is intended for pages rich in content, especially text-based ones. However, remember to place the most important content at the beginning due to decreasing engagement in this pattern.
Designing according to the F pattern
To use the F pattern, we start designing from the left side. More specifically: from the upper left corner, where the logo is usually placed. On the opposite side, we set a distinctive accent that will attract users’ attention (you can place a picture of a human face there, which will certainly catch the eye or animation). What next? The next element is placed on the left side to outline a vertical line — it must be below the picture. Below this point, we place more information again, but this time we can use a different font or color scheme. This will allow for the building of a hierarchy of information and communication layers. In the end, users scan the left side of the content in a vertical motion.
F-pattern gives the designer more control over what is seen. It should be remembered that at the beginning of designing, it is important to give the content appropriate priority, which will greatly simplify the placement of the most important elements.
Why the F pattern?
Choosing the F pattern for your project means that it will help you create a project with a good visual hierarchy that people can easily scan. I need to note that the F layout is comfortable for most Western readers. This is because these readers have been reading from top to bottom and from left to right throughout their lives. Lastly, one should be careful with the headlines — if their content is uninspiring or boring, the audience can quickly be lost. The F pattern is characterized by repetition and thus monotony. Therefore, you need to break this schematic by introducing elements that will catch the audience’s attention and maintain their engagement.
