Grids

Facebook profiles utilize grids very cleanly. There are clearly defined columns, similar information is grouped together either horizontally or vertically, and as a result there is a great sense of cohesion among everything. Even the advertisements are skyscrapers or banners, working with the grid.

Without the grid, everything would be jumbled and mixed up. There would be no logical way for the reader to follow the page. The mind does not like to have to search around for things, it responds best to lines, and information grouped in lines and patterns. Consistency is key. It's what makes magazine title pages so interesting. Oftentimes, the type will be set against a standard grid. That's all well and good for those few instances, but if everything was like that, nothing would ever get done because people simply wouldn't be able to utilize information quickly enough.