group-related-elements
DesignUse proximity and spacing to show relationships
License unclear
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Skill: Group Related Elements
Purpose
Use proximity and spacing to visually group related elements together and separate unrelated groups.
Type
Generative + Evaluative
Input
- Element inventory
- Relationship mapping (what belongs together)
- Current spacing between elements
Output
- Spacing recommendations to show relationships
- Pass/Fail assessment of current grouping
Transformation Performed
Adjusts spacing so elements within a group are closer together than elements in different groups, using the Gestalt principle of proximity.
Decision Criteria
PASS (Good Grouping)
- Related elements have small gap (8-16px)
- Unrelated groups have larger gap (24-48px)
- Form labels close to their inputs (4-8px)
- Sections clearly separated
- Hierarchy of space: tightest within component, looser between components, loosest between sections
FAIL (Poor Grouping)
- Uniform spacing everywhere
- Labels far from inputs
- Related elements visually disconnected
- Unrelated elements too close
- Using borders instead of space to group
The Proximity Principle
Elements that are close together are perceived as more related than elements that are farther apart.
Spacing Hierarchy
Within component (label + input): 4-8px
Between related components: 16-24px
Between sections: 32-64px
Between major page areas: 64-96px
Common Grouping Patterns
| Pattern | Structure | Spacing |
|---|---|---|
| Form field | Label → Input | 4-8px between, 16-24px after |
| Card | Header → Content → Footer | 16-24px internal padding |
| List items | Item 1 / Item 2 / Item 3 | 8-12px between items |
| Button group | Primary + Secondary | 8-12px between |
| Sections | Section A (gap) Section B | 48-64px between |
Common Failure Modes
| Failure | Description | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Great Divide | Equal spacing everywhere | Tighten within groups, expand between groups |
| Label Drift | Labels 20px+ from inputs | Reduce to 4-8px |
| Section Smush | Sections barely separated | Add 48px+ between major sections |
| Border Dependency | Boxes around everything | Use space instead of borders |
| Card Clump | Cards touching each other | Add 16-24px gap between cards |
Prerequisites
- Spacing system defined
- Content grouped logically
Dependencies
apply-consistent-spacing(uses spacing scale)
Refactoring UI References
- "Group related information"
- "Use whitespace to create relationships"
- "Proximity beats similarity"
Example Assessment
Input: Form with: Title (24px margin), Label (8px margin), Input, Label (8px), Input, Section header (16px margin), Label (8px), Input
Evaluation: PARTIAL
- Label to input spacing not specified
- Section header too close to previous section
- Consistent 8px but not creating hierarchy
Recommendation:
- Label to input: 4px (tight coupling)
- After input group: 24px
- Section header margin-top: 48px (clear break)
- Within section: 16px between fields