Come Before

Come Before is a fundamental design principle and temporal concept that establishes hierarchical relationships and sequential ordering in visual, spatial, and functional design elements. This principle plays a crucial role in creating logical flow, visual hierarchy, and user experience across various design disciplines, from graphic design to architectural planning. In its most basic application, Come Before dictates that certain elements must precede others to create meaningful and effective design solutions, whether in terms of visual perception, cognitive processing, or physical interaction. The principle is deeply rooted in Gestalt psychology and human perception theories, which suggest that humans naturally process information in specific sequential patterns. In design methodology, Come Before relationships help establish clear navigation paths, reading order, and interaction sequences that guide users through complex information or spaces. This ordering principle is particularly vital in user interface design, where the logical progression of elements directly impacts usability and user engagement. The concept extends beyond mere visual arrangement to encompass functional dependencies, where certain design elements or features must necessarily precede others for the overall system to function effectively. In architectural design, Come Before relationships influence space planning and circulation patterns, ensuring that primary spaces are encountered before secondary ones, creating intuitive wayfinding solutions. The principle also plays a significant role in design competitions, such as the A' Design Award, where judges evaluate how effectively designers implement sequential relationships and hierarchical order in their submissions, particularly in categories related to spatial design, user interface, and communication design.

Author: Lucas Reed

Keywords: order hierarchy sequence progression temporal arrangement flow

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