Using a grid system in your designs is one way to achieve a level of consistency that would be otherwise extremely difficult to master and to portray in your designs.
Although the grid is something that will eventually be invisible to your final user, you can use it to aid you in creating layouts for your designs. But, like all rules when designing, rules are made to be broken. You might not necessarily always need to stick to your grid formation, but you do need to understand grid systems, before you can commit to breaking the rules.
“The grid system is an aid, not a guarantee. It permits a number of possible uses and each designer can look for a solution appropriate to his personal style. But one must learn how to use the grid; it is an art that requires practice.” - Josef Müller-Brockmann
http://www.webdesignstuff.co.uk/di101/files/2012/01/picture-4.png
