Salience

Salience

Salience is a term used in design to describe the quality or state of an element that stands out from its surroundings or background. It refers to the ability of a visual element to capture attention and draw the viewer's focus due to its distinctive features, such as color, contrast, size, shape, or position. In the context of design, salience is a crucial consideration in creating effective visual hierarchies, guiding the viewer's eye through a composition, and emphasizing key information or messages. Designers employ various techniques to manipulate the salience of elements, such as using high-contrast colors, bold typography, or placing important elements in prominent positions. The concept of salience is rooted in the principles of Gestalt psychology, which explores how the human brain perceives and organizes visual information. It is closely related to the ideas of figure-ground relationship, where salient elements are perceived as the figure, while less salient elements recede into the background. The strategic use of salience allows designers to control the flow of information, direct attention to specific areas, and create visual impact. It is a fundamental principle in various design disciplines, including graphic design, user interface design, and information visualization, where the effective communication of messages and the usability of designs heavily rely on the appropriate application of salience

visual hierarchy, emphasis, contrast, attention, focus, prominence, Gestalt psychology, figure-ground relationship

— John Armstrong