Welcome back to the Creative Learning and Design Blog!
This week we are moving from the first phase of audience-centered design to phases two and three. Several posts have dealt with different aspects of developing a deeper understanding of our audiences; some theoretical and others last week more practical with the audience avatars.
Now I want to dive into some specific learning experience design perspectives and techniques. We are going to start building our design tool boxes.
What is Cognitive Overload?
First up, what do I mean when I say information overwhelm or cognitive overload? I am not talking about having too many items on your to do list, or too many tabs open on your browser, or too much data on a particular topic. Those are all valid examples of overwhelm or overload but I am referring to a particular type of cognitive overload that can happen when consuming an individual piece of content.
Have you ever been overstimulated by your surroundings? Sun is too bright? Those awful fluorescent lights in the classroom? Crowded restaurant? Loud music at a party?
Cognitive overload when talking about designing is the same concept but dealing specifically with the process of taking in and retaining information.
Let me give you an example. Take a look at these two slides from a presentation I put together on this very topic. the top slide is the base template. The second is how I modified it for the training. In terms of focussing on the text, which slide is easier? Less overwhelming?
Now the unmodified slide is not terrible, and I am sure that there are improvements that could be made to my slide – but I’m only human and I’m learning too! And there is a lesson in that. We won’t get things perfect. The important thing is to make the effort and to work with what we know. Remember that practice makes progress!
And with cognitive overload what we are practicing is limiting the distractions that our audience experiences while they are interacting with our content or products. Because distractions take up valuable real estate inside our brains, limiting the amount of working memory available for processing, understanding, and retaining. When our working memory reaches capacity, we start loosing the ability to retain the information we are taking in.
Three Types of Information Processing
Essential
Essential processing is the ability to process the key points of the content/instruction/lesson in working memory. This is also referred to as intrinsic cognitive load. This is the process of selecting information to be held in the working memory. So to go back to the example of the slides what I want the individual to select is the title and subtitle, not the design.
Extraneous
Extraneous processing is exactly what it sounds like. It is all the extra stuff that isn’t needed for understanding the information but is taking up real estate in your brain none the less. Extraneous information is not limited to unrelated visuals, it could also take the form of unnecessary details.
Consider this scenario. You are teaching a group of 5th graders about early European settlements in Virginia. You decide to talk about the archaeological finds at Williamsburg and Jamestown. Do the students need to know the details of archaeological practices? Or do you just want to talk about how the artifacts can give a glimpse into our past?
While we can not control what the learner’s environment in, we can take measures to limit the extraneous information in the learning materials (or content) themselves.
Generative
Generative processing happens when the individual is taking the essential (or intrinsic information) and not only retain it but also associates that information with previous knowledge.
Let’s take the same example of the 5th grade class. You create a series of lessons on Williamsburg and Jamestown, including one where you discuss archaeological artifacts. These lessons were in part preparation for a virtual field trip. During the field trip the tour guide starts discussing hunting differences between the European settlers and the Native Americans. If generative processing is taking place, the students will be able to combine this new information with image and description of the hunting tools you already showed them.
Goals as Designers and Creators
Generative processing is the ultimate goal of any content or learning experience we want our audience, clients, and learners to be able to integrate the new information we provide them with knowledge they already have. It is the integration of information that will help develop their understanding and their ability to apply later on.
There are a number of ways to minimize extraneous information in order to encourage essential and generative processing. One of the most commonly used sets of techniques is Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia. I’ll be diving into these principles in the coming weeks.
Going back to audience understanding will also help us as creators and designers who want to encourage generative processing. If we have a deeper understanding of what our learners and clients need and want we will be able to minimize the extra details and emphasize the nuggets of knowledge that they are looking for. When our audience and learners have the opportunity to fully integrate the new information we provide them and then apply that knowledge they will walk away with more growth and greater ability to accomplish what it is they have set out to do.
Check back here for more articles on combating cognitive overload.
And attend the mini-trainings inside my Facebook Group, Creative Learning and Design Collective:
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