Cognitive Load & Decision Making
Cognitive Load
Mental effort required to use an interface should be minimized.
In practice
Takeaways
- 1
Every extra decision consumes limited working memory.
- 2
Remove decorative elements that do not aid comprehension.
- 3
Offload recall to the interface with summaries and smart defaults.
Origins
Cognitive load is the amount of mental processing required to understand and operate a system. When load is too high, users slow down, make mistakes, or leave entirely.
Good interfaces feel simple because they remove unnecessary interpretation work and keep attention on the task itself.
Design Applications
- Reveal complexity only when users ask for it.
- Show previously entered information instead of making users remember it.
- Prefer one clear primary action per screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Further Reading
Related Principles
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Cognitive Load & Decision Making
Hick's Law
Decision time grows with the number and complexity of choices.
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Cognitive Load & Decision Making
Chunking
Break information into meaningful groups to aid comprehension.
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Cognitive Load & Decision Making
Miller's Law
Working memory holds roughly 7±2 items at once.
Learn more ›Tools worth a look
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