Learning and understanding are fundamental in our development. But sometimes it seems like we get stuck. We hit a wall without any way around. We call this dealing with the learning curve. As some of you know, I’ve been working on the iOS app for Forgetful Chef and I’ll be honest I’ve hit that wall. But what does this all mean? Does it mean I need to give up and fall back on to the things that I know like WordPress development? Actually quite the opposite is true. There is a term that is used in cognitive psychology called cognitive loading. The Wikipedia entry explains cognitive loading as
the load related to the executive control of working memory (WM). Theories contend that during complex learning activities the amount of information and interactions that must be processed simultaneously can either under-load, or overload the finite amount of working memory one possesses. All elements must be processed before meaningful learning can continue.
Our brains are like computers. Sometimes we overload them with too much data at one time causing them to slow down, fail or break. When your computer overloads it’s time for a reboot, but when our minds are overloaded we need to step away from the tasks and let them clear. We call these vacations or breaks. They give our minds time to process the information we have been engaging with.
When it comes to learning new languages or presenting our audiences with new interactions, we need to remember to slow down so that we nurture meaningful learning. We can do this in several ways. First, the uses of simplified tutorials are a huge help especially when using images and user-friendly text rather than industry jargon. Next breaking down content into smaller parts allowing people to gain acceptance and understanding of one section before they move on to the next. An excellent online example of this is Treehouse. They use short videos to demonstrate new learning and then follow that skill with code challenges to help you see real world examples of the information. Finally, creating something with each small part of information you gain can help you better understand the overall information and goals.
I want to make it clear that this isn’t just a consideration for learning. This theory can apply to how people comprehend the information found in your app or site. By keeping a consistent voice, personality and structure throughout your entire project, you are helping your audience reduce the amount of cognitive loading that is required to connect with your brand. Two tools I’ve been using lately to help me create this consistency have been Typecast for typography and colours and Wirefy for structure and navigation. But none of this would be possible without first spending time with the initial content to process and go through your own cognitive loading. Gain the perspective you need on the content before sharing it out with others.
The cognitive loading theory states that we all have the same amount of capacity for any given problem. However, each of us get there at different rates. This means we can’t always determine the right speed for presenting new information. To help determine the appropriate speed and language that will best encourage learning, go through a series of tests with your potential audience. These tests can be anything from using prototypes to determine understanding of interactions, user groups to determine current state of knowledge related to your content or other user focused tests to find the right path. Your results might surprise you.
If we breakdown our building process into small chucks, we can achieve a higher level of learning, understanding and trust with our content both as builders and with our audiences. Stay focused on achieving small tasks can help you get to the bigger picture faster. You will help yourself over any bumps or walls you reach while developing but also help tell a more consistent story that your audience can easily follow to understand your content. Avoid making things complex, you’re just leading your audience into cognitive overload. This can result in less traffic, frustrations and mistrust. So let’s help guide each other and our audiences down a steady learning path so we can all be better than what we were yesterday.
