Learn in the textbookBasic Principles of Design and Organizing Information
DefinitionAlignment (整列) is the principle of placing the left edges, centers or right edges of elements on an invisible reference line to bring order to a page or screen.
ExplanationWhen positions line up, even elements far apart look connected, and the eye moves along without getting lost. Within one document, keep a single basis for alignment, such as left-aligned throughout. Mixing centered and left-aligned text on a whim makes the page look untidy.
AnalogyWhen people in a queue stand along a line on the floor, the shape of the queue stays clear however long it gets.
Memory hookThink of wheel alignment on a car: everything points along one line, and nothing is allowed to drift off it.