One of the great benefits of a web page is that its size is, essentially, infinite. As long as you keep adding content, the page will keep getting bigger. At some point that makes the loading time in your browser too long for comfort, but what it also means is that there is no need to cram into the smallest space possible. You can afford to leave room between items, and it makes sense. via 10 Useful Usability Findings and Guidelines.

Most designers know the value of white space, which is the empty space between paragraphs, pictures, buttons and other items on the page.

White space de-clutters a page by giving items room to breathe. We can also group items together by decreasing the space between them and increasing the space between them and other items on the page.

This is important for showing relationships between items (e.g. showing that this button applies to this set of items) and building a hierarchy of elements on the page.

Notice the big content margin, padding and paragraph spacing on The Netsetter. All that space makes the content easy and comfortable to read.

White space also makes content more readable. A study (Lin, 2004) found that good use of white space between paragraphs and in the left and right margins increases comprehension by almost 20%. Readers find it easier to focus on and process generously spaced content.

In fact, according to Chaperro, Shaikh and Baker, the layout on a Web page (including white space, headers, indentation and figures) may not measurably influence performance but does influence user satisfaction and experience.

The web allows anyone to become a publisher but graphic design does make a difference in how well people can use your site.

Rule number one is never to hand your site over to a graphic designer until you are very clear about what the site is supposed to do and how you want it to function, only then should you start worrying about how it looks.

If you start with the look you will spend all your resources on that and functionality and purpose will get left behind, but don't forget the role that the look has in making your site workable.

Unless, of course, you are the ugliest website in the world, Craigslist.com which is still one of the most udeful, and heavily used sites anywhere.

How do you make those crucial design decisions? And who does it in your organisation? Comments pelase.

Welcome back to Groupings blog. Now that you are a regular, please feel free to comment on any story that you feel comfortable with.