Why Grids Matter

Grids are not about limiting creativity; they provide the structure needed to communicate effectively, whether the goal is to align with tradition or push boundaries.

Grids are essential tools for organizing and presenting information in ways that align with how people naturally read and process visual content. By creating structure and rhythm, grids guide the eye, establish hierarchy, and ensure that layouts remain legible and comprehensible.

Studies on readability and perception confirm that organized, grid-based layouts help viewers process information faster and more effectively. Grids reduce cognitive load by creating predictable relationships between elements, allowing people to focus on content rather than struggling to understand its arrangement.

Designers like David Carson have challenged the rigidity of grids, advocating for approaches that embrace visual unpredictability. While grid-breaking approaches can be effective for creative or emotional impact, they often rely on subtle relationships with invisible grids. For example, Carson’s layouts, despite their chaotic appearance, frequently adhere to underlying structures that create tension rather than true randomness. Designers like Carson succeed because they understand grids enough to play against them intelligently.

Grids are not rules. They are frameworks to support ideas, whether through adherence or disruption.

 “Only those who respect the grid will be able to use it effectively and subvert it intelligently.”

 — Augustus Rivers Brightman, Grid Systems