Organising the hierarchy of information

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A dashboard for a school canteen manager shows total weekly profit. Where should this key message go?

A At the top, in large text, where it is seen first

B At the bottom in small text after all the detail

2. Which describes an information hierarchy?

A Placing information in random positions so the reader explores it

B Ranking information from most to least important and arranging it in that order

3. An infographic has sales figures for Term 1, 2, 3 and 4. How should the related figures be arranged?

A Grouped together in one section with a clear heading

B Scattered across the page between unrelated items

4. Which item is supporting detail in a visualisation about attendance?

A The headline 'Attendance has risen by 6%'

B A table showing attendance for each class

5. Readers in English usually scan a page from where?

A Top left, moving across and down

B Bottom right, moving up and back

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1Headline message first		ATitle (24 pt) > Key finding (18 pt) > Notes (10 pt)
2Grouping related items		B1. Headline 2. Main chart 3. Table of detail 4. Source note
3Supporting detail comes after the main message, in smaller text lower in the hierarchy.		CPut items that belong together close to each other, such as all sales figures in one block, so the viewer sees which pieces of information are connected.
4Reading order guides the viewer through the information from most to least important.		DRelated items are scattered and split by an unrelated chart, so the groups and the reading order are unclear.
5Dashboard opens with a full data table, and the key finding sits in small text at the bottom		EPlace the single most important finding at the top or in the largest text so the viewer reads the main message before any detail.
6Sales chart at top left, sales total at bottom right, staff chart in the middle of the sales items		FThe detail is placed before the main message, so the hierarchy is upside down and the viewer does not meet the key finding first.

Definitions

information hierarchy

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

<__>Sales rose 12% in Term 1</h1>

<h1>Sales rose 12% in Term 1</h1> <__>Online orders led growth</h2>

<_______> <h2>Top products</h2> </section>

<h2>Top products</h2> <_>Pencils sold 200 units.</p>

<h1>Term 1 Sales</h1> <h2>Top products</h2> <__>Pencils</h3>

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A <h1>Sales up 12% in 2025</h1>

B <h2>Sales by region</h2>

C <h1>North led with 40%.</h1>

Question 2

A <h3>Absences rose 8%</h3>

B <h2>By year level</h2>

C <p>Year 9 had the most.</p>

Question 3

A 1 Headline: top left

B 2 Key chart: above headline

C 3 Notes: bottom

Question 4

A <h1>Budget is on track</h1>

B <h2>Costs</h1>

C <p>Rent and wages: $5000</p>

D <h2>Income</h2>

Question 5

A SORT items BY importance ASC

B FOR EACH item IN items

C DISPLAY item

D END FOR

Answer Key

Organising the hierarchy of information

Section A: Quick Questions

A — At the top, in large text, where it is seen first

B — Ranking information from most to least important and arranging it in that order

A — Grouped together in one section with a clear heading

B — A table showing attendance for each class

A — Top left, moving across and down

Section B: Match the Pairs

Headline message first → Place the single most important finding at the top or in the largest text so the viewer reads the main message before any detail.

Grouping related items → Put items that belong together close to each other, such as all sales figures in one block, so the viewer sees which pieces of information are connected.

Supporting detail comes after the main message, in smaller text lower in the hierarchy. → Title (24 pt) > Key finding (18 pt) > Notes (10 pt)

Reading order guides the viewer through the information from most to least important. → 1. Headline 2. Main chart 3. Table of detail 4. Source note

Dashboard opens with a full data table, and the key finding sits in small text at the bottom → The detail is placed before the main message, so the hierarchy is upside down and the viewer does not meet the key finding first.

Sales chart at top left, sales total at bottom right, staff chart in the middle of the sales items → Related items are scattered and split by an unrelated chart, so the groups and the reading order are unclear.

Section C: Definitions

information hierarchy — Ranking information from most to least important and arranging it so the main message is seen first and supporting detail follows in a clear reading order.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

<h1>Sales rose 12% in Term 1</h1>

<h1>Sales rose 12% in Term 1</h1>
<h2>Online orders led growth</h2>

<section>
<h2>Top products</h2>
</section>

<h2>Top products</h2>
<p>Pencils sold 200 units.</p>

<h1>Term 1 Sales</h1>
<h2>Top products</h2>
<h3>Pencils</h3>

Section E: Spot the Error

C — Supporting detail has been given the top heading level, so it competes with the headline message. It should be a paragraph: <p>North led with 40%.</p>.

A — The main message is demoted to h3, below the group heading. The headline must use the highest level, <h1>, so it is read first.

B — The reading order puts the headline first. The key chart should sit below the headline, not above it.

B — The heading that groups the cost items opens with <h2> but closes with </h1>. The closing tag must match: <h2>Costs</h2>.

A — ASC puts the least important items first. A hierarchy shows the most important first, so it should be DESC.