Cognitive ease. The term gained popularity after Daniel Kahneman’s bestselling book Thinking, Fast and Slow hit the shelves. In it, Kahneman says, “A general ‘law of least effort’ applies to cognitive as well as physical exertion. The law asserts that if there are several ways of achieving the same goal, people will eventually gravitate to the least demanding course of action.” In other words, our brains move toward what is easy to process and understand.
Because presentations often combine both the spoken word and accompanying presentation media or graphics, we need to talk about both. It doesn’t work to have a crystal clear message if your presentation visuals are a mess.
On Monday, we shared tips for presenters on how to use the theory of cognitive ease. Today we’ll do the same thing for designers. When it comes to designing for cognitive ease, Kahneman’s research is illuminating. He says we need to be concerned with 4 things: repeated experience, a clear display, primed ideas, and a good mood.
Repeated Experience
The power of repetition is tied into the power of familiarity. Most of us feel positively about things that are familiar. For that reason, you’ll want to use repeating elements in your designs. Designorate gives some practical tips on how to use repetition. “Where menu options and design elements, including logos, are repeated allows users a comfortable, known experience in page navigation – and can provide necessary breadcrumbs for users. This can be done by using imagery or icons, or colors or text style, to provide the user with a simplified, consistent message across the platform.” The same can be true of your presentation media. Repeated elements in design provide security for your users.
Clear Display
A clean, simple design is the mark of a pro. Anything cluttered can move us from cognitive ease to cognitive strain. Kahneman says, “when you feel strained, you are more likely to be vigilant and suspicious . . . and feel less comfortable.” To help with visual processing, Convertize recommends placing your visual elements on the left side of the screen. Here’s why: “Visual elements positioned on the left are processed by the right hemisphere of the brain, which is better suited for image processing. People will ‘digest’ the page more quickly and easily, and it will have a more pleasing effect on them.”
Primed Idea
According to Psychology Today, research on priming “suggests that the brain is adapted to more readily process certain kinds of information after being exposed to something related.” Priming reminds us that everything we say and do and design sets the audience up with certain perceptions and expectations. We want to do everything we can do harness those to meet our goals and needs.
The Neilson Norman group researches user experience. Their studies show how minor design choices can prime our user’s behavior. For example, the presence of a coupon code box on a checkout page might prime users to leave the page and search for a code. Or the inclusion of images of very young children on a private school webpage might lead a parent to search elsewhere for her middle school or high school child. When designing, it’s important to think about how and where your choices are leading your audience.
Good Mood
The last way to help your intended audience feel cognitive ease to put them in a good mood. Design doesn’t have to be so serious. What if it makes your listeners smile, or even laugh? Kahneman says, “when in a good mood, people become more intuitive and creative . . . a good mood is a signal that things are generally going well, the environment is safe, and it is all right to let one’s guard down.” Try using a light-hearted image or slogan to open people up to accepting your message. If you achieve a clear and simple design, your users will have natural, positive feelings associated with cognitive ease. On the flip side, if your design is difficult to read because of a poor font or color choice, users can feel frustrated and upset.
Benefits of Great Design
When we create designs with cognitive ease, Kahneman says we’ll reap these four benefits. Our information will feel familiar, true, good, and effortless. All of those things, in turn, can lead to increased sales. They can also foster connection between the speaker and the audience or between the brand and the customer. Design for cognitive ease. It will affect your bottom line. It will also affect the success of your ideas, product, or brand.
Reframe the way you design by making it your goal to help your users achieve cognitive ease.
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