Design for Working Memory
Reduce extraneous cognitive load while preserving meaningful challenge.
Learning fails when the format spends the learner attention budget before the concept does. Why it works Cognitive Load Theory distinguishes intrinsic challenge from extraneous load created by presentation choices. What to design Remove split attention, decorative complexity, and unnecessary choices. Keep desirable effort in the practice, not in decoding the interface. Common trap Do not confuse clear explanation with learned performance. Explanation is necessary, but it is only one part of the learning chain. Transfer cue Make the hard part the skill, not the packaging.
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