November 2010 presentation to IxDA Portland and Art Institute of Portland

1.  Cognitive Load
 Applying principles to design
 Q&A
 Social
 Ping
4th and NW Couch, under the Hung Far Low sign

3. Working
Memory
Short-Term
Memory
Sensory
Memory
Verbal
Processing
Auditory
Visual
Processing
Visual
Printed
Words
Long-Term
Memory
Spoken
Words

4. Information is constantly
bombarding our senses.
Do we perceive all of it?
We’ll watch a video.
When watching the video, your job
is to count number of times that
the people wearing white shirts
pass the basketball.
Sensory
Memory

5. Information
that passes our
perceptual filters
enters short-term
memory.
What is the estimated
length of time that
short-term memory
will hold information?
How much information
can we hold in short-
term memory?
Sensory
Memory
Short-Term
Memory
Auditory
Visual

6. Information is held in
short-term memory
for 2-30 seconds.
We can hold 7+-2 (5-9)
chunks in short-term
memory.
However, visual short-
term memory (VSTM)
probably only holds 4
chunks.
Sensory
Memory
Short-Term
Memory
Auditory
Visual

7. Individual must focus to select what
will be processed.
Individual rehearses information in
working memory to organize and
integrate it with existing knowledge
in long-term memory.
Working memory:
“remembering what we
are doing as we do it.”
Letters memory test
Visual memory test
Working
Memory
Verbal
Processing
Visual
Processing
Long-Term
Memory

9. Retrieval: New knowledge and
skills must be retrieved
from long-term memory
for transfer to the job.
Working
Memory
Verbal
Processing
Visual
Processing
Long-Term
Memory

10. Working
Memory
Short-Term
Memory
Sensory
Memory
Verbal
Processing
Auditory
Visual
Processing
Visual
Printed
Words
Long-Term
Memory
Spoken
Words

11. Use words and graphics rather than words alone.
 Use graphics and text to present instructional content.
 Ensure graphics are relevant, not decorative.
 Use graphics as topic organizers.
How a bicycle pump works
As the rod is pulled out, air
passes through the piston
and fills the area between
the piston and the outlet
value.
As the rod is pulled out
air passes through the
piston
and fills the area between
the piston and the piston
and outlet valve

12. A client wants us to create an e-learning course
for IT project managers. She says “Since they are
used to doing Internet research. Let’s put more text on the
pages, the pages can scroll, and learners don’t have to hit the
Next button as often.You could put one topic on each screen
and cut way down on the number of pages.”
Is this a good idea?
Will putting more text on a page increase learning?

13. Place corresponding words and graphics near each other.
A bicycle pump is a type of
positive-displacement pump
specifically designed for Inflating
bicycle tires. It has a connection
or adapter for use with one or
both of the two most common
types of valves used on bicycles,
Schrader or Presta. A third type of valve called
the Woods valve exists, but tubes with these
valves can be filled using a Presta pump.
Several basic types are available:
•Floor models or track pumps
•Frame mounted
•Compact or mini
•Foot operated
•Double action
In its most basic form, a bicycle pump functions
via a hand-operated piston. During the up-
stroke, this piston draws air through a one-way
valve into the pump from the outside. During the
down-stroke, the piston then displaces the air
from the pump into the bicycle tire. Most floor
pumps, also commonly called track pumps, have
a built in pressure gauge to indicate tire
pressure.
Text is too far from the
graphic that illustrates
the concept.

14. Place corresponding words and graphics near each other.
 Don’t separate text and graphics through long scrolling
screens.
 Use pop-up text, reduced graphics, and other techniques
that support integration of text and graphics.
 For quiz questions and activities, put feedback on the same
screen as the question.
 Put activity instructions on the same screen where the
actions will be made. (Don’t put the instructions on a
separate screen.)

15. You recommended a Flash animation with audio
narration to explain a complex process.The client
wants to reduce costs and suggests just using text and still
graphics – no audio.
Is this a good idea? Will it aid learning?

16. Working
Memory
Short-
Term
Memory
Sensory
Memory
Verbal
Processing
Auditory
Visual
Processing
Visual
Printed
Words
Long-Term
Memory
Spoken
Words
Present words as audio narration rather than onscreen text
for graphics and animations.

17. A client requires that all web content support people
with disabilities.
They have asked that you include both
audio narration and text – that say the same thing.
“This will support users
who are deaf as well as supporting both visual and
auditory learning styles.”
Will this increase understanding and comprehension?

18. Presenting words in both text and audio narration can hurt
learning and comprehension.
 Avoid narrating onscreen text when words and pictures are
presented simultaneously at a fast pace.
 You could consider narrating onscreen text when:
 There are few words.
 There are no pictures.
 The learner has amble time to process the pictures and words.
 The learner is likely to have difficulty processing the spoken
words.

19. A client wants to jazz up a eLearning course
on the dull topic of understanding financial codes.
They have suggested a jeopardy style game.
Will this aid learning? If not, what would you suggest to make
the e-learning more interesting?

20. Adding interesting material can hurt learning.
 Omit extraneous sounds.
 Do not play background music.
 Do not use graphics or video that are related but not
essential.
 Omit extraneous words. Keep text concise.
 Use exercises and activities that allow direct transfer to
the work situation.

21. Use conversational style and virtual coaches.
 Use a conversational style for narration
and text, using “you,” “your, “I,” “we,” and “ours.”
 Consider providing conversational onscreen characters
(agents).These agents may be visually realistic or line art.
Agents should serve a valid instructional purpose.

22.  Human memory has two channels for processing
information: auditory and visual
 Human memory has a limited capacity.

23. Working
Memory
Short-Term
Memory
Sensory
Memory
Verbal
Processing
Auditory
Visual
Processing
Visual
Printed
Words
Long-Term
Memory
Spoken
Words

24.  For online articles and links, see my brilliant colleague
Katherine’s bookmark list
http://www.delicious.com/KatherineStevens/cognitiveload
 Stay in touch
@volleyballbarb