White space may appear to be the absence of design, but the "empty" areas surrounding text and graphics are highly important. Effective use of white space should

1. Keep related items together
2. Isolate and emphasize important elements
3. Provide "breathing room" between blocks of information.

White space in a document can consist of space between lines of text, between paragraphs, between text and headings, between text and graphics, and along the margins of the page. White space is particularly important in addressing balance, connection, duplication, variation, and flow.

Using white space, particularly in crowded documents, can help clarify textual demarcations and can help readers navigate through a document.