The human brain thrives in natural environments. From navigating day-night cycles to adapting to seasonal changes, our cognitive systems have excelled at filtering relevant information from an overwhelming sea of stimuli. This mental effort, known as cognitive load, is present in every interaction, and our inherent ability to manage it holds a valuable lesson for user experience (UX) design.
Just as effective information processing and cognitive load management are crucial for survival in the wild, they are essential for successful interactions with digital products. Cognitive load in UX refers to the mental effort exerted by users as they process information, reason, and make decisions while navigating digital interfaces.
A well-crafted user experience minimizes this load, allowing users to focus on their goals without expending unnecessary mental energy. On the other hand, a cluttered, poorly-designed interface, with confusing navigation, forces users to solve problems that should not exist. This leads to “cognitive overload,” frustration, disengagement, and ultimately, a negative UX. 
Let us explore the psychology behind cognitive overload and discuss practical strategies to reduce it. By understanding these principles, you can craft user experiences that are intuitive, streamlined, and focused on user goals.
What is Cognitive Load in UX Design?
Cognitive load, in the context of user experience, refers to the mental effort users exert while processing information and navigating your product. Understanding how the human brain handles information is crucial to minimizing this load and creating a smooth user experience. The study of human cognition has a long history, but its application to instructional design emerged in the 1980s with the work of Australian educational psychologist John Sweller.
Sweller’s research focused on identifying the optimal conditions for information retention. In essence, he sought to answer the question: “How can we design learning experiences that minimize cognitive load and maximize retention?” Sweller’s book, “Cognitive Load Theory,” explores this question in detail. According to him, the human brain is a natural information-processing system shaped by evolution. This system operates based on four key principles.
These principles provide a framework for understanding how cognitive load is influenced by information acquisition, organization, and processing within the brain. Let’s explore these principles and their impacts on designing UX:
Cognitive Load Theory Principles
1. Information Store Principle
The Information Store Principle, a cornerstone of cognitive load theory, highlights how the brain stores two types of knowledge: innate (primary) and learned (secondary) knowledge. This principle holds huge significance for designing user experience:
Primary Knowledge and UX Design
Familiarity is Key: According to this principle, users bring inherent abilities and common sense to the table. Designers can capitalize on this by employing consistent design patterns and intuitive interfaces. This reduces cognitive load by minimizing the need to learn entirely new concepts.Simplicity Wins: Basic cognitive processes like memory and attention are also part of primary knowledge. Simplifying interfaces by avoiding unnecessary complexity and distractions allows users to focus on their goals with minimal mental strain.
Supporting Secondary Knowledge
Contextual Learning Matters: According to this principle, users possess learned skills and experience-based knowledge (secondary knowledge). By providing users with opportunities for contextual learning (such as tooltips, informational videos, and guided onboarding processes) designers can help users grasp new features and concepts.Personalization Pays Off: Secondary knowledge also includes personal preferences and habits. By personalizing the user experience, designers can minimize the cognitive load that comes with adapting to unfamiliar interfaces.
Applying this UX Cognitive Load Principle
Clear Information Architecture: Organize information logically using familiar categories and labels for easy navigation. This reduces the effort required to find specific information.Visual Hierarchy Guides Users: A consistent visual hierarchy will help users identify the most important elements on a page.Progressive Disclosure in Action: Reveal information gradually using progressive disclosure. This allows users to focus on their goals without being overwhelmed by profuse details.Feedback and Guidance: Clear feedback and guidance empower users to understand how to use the interface effectively. This reduces the mental strain associated with figuring things out independently.
By understanding the Information Store Principle and its implications for crafting UX, we can create intuitive, user-friendly interfaces that minimize cognitive load.
2. Borrowing and Reorganizing Principle
This principle highlights how we acquire and organize information from the external world, building a vast knowledge store. How does the brain make sense of all of this information? Effective organization. When information is properly organized, it becomes easier to access and retrieve, allowing the brain to efficiently process and integrate new information. Here’s how UX designers can apply this principle to their work:
Consistency is King: Maintain consistent design patterns and layouts. Use familiar UI elements and microcopy. This allows users to leverage their existing knowledge and quickly grasp new information, reducing cognitive strain.Chunking for Clarity: Break down complex information into smaller, digestible chunks. This reduces the mental effort required to process and retain information.Gradual Disclosure of Information: When information is disclosed step-by-step, users can concentrate on their goals without being bombarded continuously by details.
Do not forget to provide contextual learning opportunities for users. Tooltips, guided onboarding processes, and other educational tools reduce the mental strain associated with independent exploration.
3. Randomness as Genesis Principle
The Randomness as Genesis Principle suggests that true novelty arises from experimentation and testing. This mirrors evolution, where random mutations introduce new traits. This principle highlights the tension between introducing new features and ensuring user comprehension. Here’s how UX professionals should introduce new features without causing overload:
Clear Explanations are Key: Provide onboarding, tooltips, and contextual help to explain new features and their benefits.Gradual Exposure Builds Understanding: Use progressive disclosure to unveil new features and information incrementally.Prioritize User Needs: Focus on introducing features that directly address user goals and needs. Avoid novelty for novelty’s sake.Leverage Existing Knowledge: Draw on users’ existing knowledge by employing familiar UI patterns and terminology with new features.
An overabundance of novelty can lead to cognitive overload, frustrating users and hindering adoption. Follow this principle to avoid that risk!
4. Narrow Limits of Change Principle
The Narrow Limits of Change Principle asserts that our brains have a finite capacity for processing information at any given time. This principle is crucial for crafting UX. It emphasizes the importance of managing task complexity to prevent cognitive overload and optimize learning:
Always break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps.Always reveal information gradually using progressive disclosure.Organize information logically using familiar categories and labels.Only use recognizable UI elements and microcopy.Provide clear onboarding processes to explain new information, features, and concepts.
By applying the Narrow Limits of Change Principle, UX experts can present content in a more digestible manner.
Importance of Cognitive Load in UX Design
We are not the first ones to discuss these principles in the context of user experience. Cognitive load theory was popularized in UX by Steve Krug’s influential book “Don’t Make Me Think.” It offers invaluable lessons on how cognitive load affects user behavior and decision-making. Since its release, every UX designer has been aware of the importance of managing cognitive load to create user-friendly interfaces.
Here are some key takeaways from this book:
Satisficing Users: Users often choose the first or easiest solution, not necessarily the best. Design with this in mind.Usability for All: Usability is achieved when users of average ability can accomplish their goals.Time: All users prioritize speed. Always design to facilitate quick task completion.The All-Important Back Button: Make the back button prominent, as it’s one of the most heavily used features.Reassurance Through Design: A visible home button, even if rarely used, offers a sense of security.Clarity is King: Every page should be self-explanatory, catering to users entering from any point.
By following these principles, designers can effectively manage cognitive load and create user experiences that are intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable. More importantly, they can learn how to ensure that their users never get overwhelmed by their designs.
Causes of UX Cognitive Load: Good and Bad Cognitive Load UX Examples
While external factors like stress and user experience levels can impact cognitive load, many design choices directly contribute to the problem. Here are some prevalent cognitive load related mistakes while crafting UX, along with real-world examples:
Extra Steps
Every step a user takes during a task consumes mental effort. Excessive steps derail users’ train of thought and test their patience. Prioritizing speed and a clear path to completion is crucial for a positive UX. Booking.com’s hotel search process exemplifies how unnecessary steps can lead to cognitive overload. This website once held the largest market share globally.
However, to book hotels on the website, users had to wade through multiple steps. One by one, they had to select destinations, dates, and room types, followed by a lengthy list of available hotels.
This bombardment of information was overwhelming and it led to severe user frustration. Pretty soon, competitors like Agoda adopted a more user-friendly approach to searching and browsing through smart filter design:
Reduced Steps: They presented key search filters upfront, allowing users to refine their choices without unnecessary navigation.Visual Clarity: Iconic imagery replaced text labels for filter options, minimizing cognitive processing.Horizontal Layout: Filters were spread horizontally, enabling users to scan options quickly and efficiently.
Agoda demonstrated a smarter way of minimizing cognitive load and now they are the leading hotel booking platform globally.
Overstimulation and Distractions
Cluttered interfaces overloaded with visuals and distractions pull users away from their goals. Working memory, the brain’s short-term processing center, becomes overwhelmed by competing stimuli. This leads to information overload and hinders the ability to focus on the task at hand. Facebook’s news feed exemplifies bad friction through overstimulation.
The constant barrage of updates, ads, and notifications creates a visually overwhelming experience. This makes it difficult for users to focus on a single task, leading to fatigue and decreased engagement. Studies have shown a steep decline in user engagement on Facebook due to this very issue. Trello is the opposite.
Trello, the project management tool prioritizes clean and concise information presentation. Free from distractions, Trello allows users to focus on their tasks without being bombarded by visual clutter. It’s the perfect example of minimizing cognitive load through minimalist design.
Excessive Options
Hick’s Law, a core principle in UX design, states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number of available choices. While users may crave some flexibility, an overwhelming number of options can lead to decision paralysis. Many websites fall victim to Hick’s Law by presenting overwhelming menus and design elements that confuse users rather than empower them. Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce marketplace, is a prime example.
Their extensive product categories and filtering options can leave users feeling lost and unsure of where to begin their search. Airbnb website’s convenient property search feature exemplifies the opposite. The platform’s intuitive interface presents a curated list of options, reducing the number of choices and facilitating quicker decision-making.
Excessive Content
Overwhelming content strains a user’s working memory. Chunking, the practice of grouping related information into manageable units, is a powerful tool for combating content overload.
Arngren, the Norwegian electronics retail website, is one of the oldest and most prominent examples of websites suffering from content overload. Although this website was not overloaded with products, the poor presentation still overwhelmed users.
Arngren’s direct competitor Etsy (a genuine product-heavy online store) used chunking to make its website more user-friendly. Instead of endless rows and columns, their site had short paragraphs, clear product categories with headings, and ample whitespace.
Unfamiliar Interfaces
Confusing and unfamiliar user interfaces (UIs) are a major culprit in cognitive overload. Users should not have to decipher cryptic icons or spend time figuring out how to complete basic actions. They need common visual cues and established navigation patterns to explore apps and websites, even the newer ones.
Use familiar icons and microcopy whenever possible; opt for clear button labels like “Contact Us Now” or “Submit” over unconventional options like “Ring Us Now.” Clarity trumps individuality in most cases. For entirely novel features, strive for self-explanatory design.
For example, skeuomorphism, the use of real-world metaphors in digital interfaces, is ideal for bridging the gap between reality and the digital world. That’s why early email icons resembled envelopes. Also, consider adding onboarding guides/tutorials to present entirely new features.
Hard-to-Locate Features
Cognitive load increases when users waste mental energy searching for features. The lack of clarity, especially amidst a visually-busy layout, makes navigation unnecessarily difficult. To avoid this, eliminate redundancies by combining pages or menu items. For example, you can merge employee bios and contact information onto a single webpage.
Lack of Internal Consistency
Inconsistency within a website or deviation from established UI patterns can be jarring for users. Imagine a website where links are sometimes underlined and sometimes not. This inconsistency forces users to pause and question, even if they have no immediate need to interact with the link. Typos and grammatical errors have similar disruptive effects.
How to Reduce Cognitive Load UX
We have already highlighted several best practices for reducing cognitive load in UX. Now, let us revisit these strategies and explore more definitive ways to minimize cognitive load in your UX projects.
Psychology in UX
Remember all the psychological concepts and principles we discussed in this article. Deepen your understanding of user psychology and core UX principles with some more research. Apply established design laws like Miller’s Law (chunking information for better memory) and Hick’s Law (reducing choices for faster decisions) to optimize your interfaces.
Reduced Product Complexity
Avoid overwhelming UIs altogether. Prioritize essential features, minimize distractions, and aggregate notifications to prevent information overload. Need inspiration? Slack’s single-step workspace creation is a prime example of user-friendly onboarding.
Reward Progress
Motivate users with progress indicators. Consider subtle celebratory messages or animations for completed tasks, like Asana’s “celebration creatures.” This reinforces a sense of accomplishment and encourages continued engagement.
Building Trust and Confidence
For apps/sites handling sensitive data, prioritize user trust with security features like multi-factor authentication and data protection badges.
Concise Content
Focus on clear, concise writing. Avoid jargon, technical terminology, and overly formal language. Structure content with headings and logical chunking for easy scanning, similar to the approach advocated in this article. Combat user frustration with specific language. Instead of sharing generic error messages, explain issues clearly and offer actionable solutions.
Design Harmony and Responsiveness
Strive for design consistency across your product. Establish a style guide outlining colors, typography, icons, and other elements to ensure a uniform user experience. Familiar UI patterns further reduce the learning curve for users. Maintain this consistency across all screen sizes and devices by investing in responsive design.
Clear User Journeys
Identify primary user tasks and prioritize them visually. Organize your design to guide users through the content, minimizing cognitive effort. Customer surveys and interviews help pinpoint user goals, allowing you to rank tasks and design a streamlined user flow. Include clear navigation systems for those who deviate from the intended path.
Offer Personalization
Empower users to personalize their experience. Offer options for theme changes, font size adjustments, and layout tweaks to cater to individual preferences. Gather user feedback to continually improve accessibility for wider audiences.
Combat the Split-Attention Effect
Users struggle when forced to jump back and forth between unrelated elements on the screen. Placing related items close together minimizes this “split-attention effect.” Grouping elements based on function streamlines information processing and combats this effect. Grid layouts with clear separation between different content zones further reduce cognitive strain.
Provide Visual or Haptic Feedback
Implement immediate feedback mechanisms to reduce cognitive strain. Buttons, links, and interactive elements should all offer visual cues (like color changes) when hovered over or clicked, indicating system recognition of the user’s intent. Completed actions should be acknowledged with appropriate responses, such as confirmation messages.
Support Learning
For complex apps and platforms, use “worked examples” to simplify complex concepts. Demonstrate task completion through step-by-step guides, video demonstrations, interactive tutorials, or annotated screenshots. Give users a clear model to follow.
Conclusion
The human mind is a complex labyrinth, and understanding its inner workings is the key to crafting exceptional user experiences. By weaving insights from cognitive psychology into the world of UX design, we unlock the potential to create interfaces that resonate with users on an intuitive level. At Design Studio, this approach enables us to craft digital experiences that are intuitive, efficient, and memorable. We are committed to harnessing the power of cognitive psychology to design websites and apps that feel like second nature, turning your UI designs into UX favorites!
Understanding Cognitive Load in UX and How to Minimize it? was originally published in UX Planet on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
