The Gutenberg Diagram is a principle that describes the Western reading orientation of homogenous and evenly distributed content. Content is separated into 4 different quadrants: primary optical area (top left), terminal area (bottom right), strong fallow area (top right), and weak fallow area (bottom left). The reading gravity begins at the top left and gravitates towards the bottom right (Lidwell, Holden, & Butler, n.d., p. 118). Research by Pernice (2017) shows that Western readers still read this way, even on mobile devices. Using eye tracking software, Pernice found that the pattern is shaped like an “F.”
Example 1: Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal divides it’s content by sections. The sections allow for reading in from left to right, top to bottom. Source: Wall Street Journal
Example 2: Eye Tracking Heatmap
Pernice (2017) found that users read websites in an F-shaped pattern using eye tracking software. Source: F-Shaped Pattern Reading Web Content
Example 3: Textbook
This is a real world example of Gutenberg Diagram in a textbook given to us for our MHCID program at UC Irvine. Source: Contextual Design by Karen Holtzblatt and Hugh Beyer
Resources:
Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J. (n.d.). Universal Principles of Design. Rockport.
Pernice, K. (2017, November 12). F-Shaped Pattern of Reading on the Web: Misunderstood, But Still Relevant (Even on Mobile). Retrieved from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/f-shaped-pattern-reading-web-content/
Gutenberg Diagram is a useful principle. It shows the global influence of English language. It’s also true that it applies only to those languages that are written from left to right. There are many languages out there that are written differently. For example, Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian are written from right to left. Also, languages like Chinese (simplified + traditional), Korean, and Japanese, though are commonly written from left to right, are also written from right to left and even from top to bottom.