What is Spacing?
Spacing in Design Systems refers to the deliberate use of whitespace or gaps between elements to create a balanced and visually pleasing user interface. This technique ensures that content is easy to read, interact with, and navigate by providing clear boundaries and separation between various components. Spacing helps establish relationships between elements, guiding the user's eye flow and enhancing the overall usability of the interface. Design Systems usually define spacing principles by setting standard sizes, margins, and padding to maintain consistency throughout the product.
Key concepts explained
Spacing in Design Systems is like organizing items on a shelf with enough space between them to avoid clutter and confusion. Imagine a neatly arranged shelf where each object has a designated spot and adequate space around it; this arrangement helps you quickly find and understand the relationship between items. Similarly, in UI design, spacing uses whitespace to create a clean and organized layout. The space around elements like text, images, and buttons allows users to easily distinguish between them and understand their importance or functionality.
Just as well-spaced items on a shelf are easier to access and appreciate, appropriately spaced elements in a user interface contribute to a better user experience. They help create a clear visual hierarchy, guide users’ focus, and make interactions more comfortable and natural.
How to use Spacing in Design Systems?
For example, Microsoft's Fluent Design System uses spacing to ensure consistent spacing throughout its applications and interfaces. Fluent Design defines various spacing tokens, such as sizeNone = 0px, size20 = 2px, size40, and up to size560 = 56px, each corresponding to specific pixel values. These tokens are applied to margins and padding to control the distance between elements. For instance, an size120 spacing might be used for tight groupings of elements like icons, while an size480 or size520 spacing could be applied to separate larger blocks of content or provide ample whitespace around interactive components. By standardizing these spacing, Fluent Design ensures a uniform and harmonious appearance across all Microsoft products, enhancing both usability and visual coherence.