Squint Test
A quick hierarchy check where you blur your vision (or squint) to see which elements stand out when detail is removed. If the right things pop, the hierarchy works.
The squint test strips away detail and reveals pure visual weight. When you squint at a layout, only the elements with the strongest size, contrast, and color remain visible. If your headline, primary image, and CTA survive the squint, the hierarchy is working. If everything blurs into the same visual weight, nothing is leading the eye. It takes two seconds and catches hierarchy failures that hours of pixel-level review miss.
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Related Terms
Visual Hierarchy
The arrangement of design elements so the eye processes them in a deliberate order, controlled by size, contrast, color, spacing, and position.
Focal Point
The first element the eye is drawn to in a composition. Established through size, contrast, color, or isolation, a focal point anchors the entire visual hierarchy.
Contrast Ratio
The measured difference in luminance between two colors, used to ensure text and interactive elements are readable for all users.