In e-learning, your video design choices can either support or interfere with learning. As an instructional designer or course creator, you want your courses to look as professional as possible. Sometimes this can cause you to be overly complex in your designs. However, everything from overly complex visuals to the use of too much animation can overwhelm learners and cause completion rates to drop.
Simple video design for e-learning has the opposite effect. It isn’t about removing content or dumbing it down. What appears simple is often evidence of disciplined design. It’s about presenting the content in a way that aligns with how the brain processes information. A clean video with intentional design means that learners can spend their time understanding the material rather than trying to figure out where to start when it comes to finding their way through a course.
Cognitive load theory and visual overload
Cognitive load theory explains why simplicity matters. It explains how the brain processes information and that working memory can only hold a small amount of information at a time.
According to Miller’s Law, the average person can hold about seven items in working memory at a time. This has a profound implication when it comes to designing videos. It makes you realize the importance of presenting information in ways that accommodate this. For example, it makes sense to break material down into small segments that are easier to absorb.
When learners watch a video, they may have to listen to audio, watch on-screen visuals and respond to interactive prompts. With too many elements competing for attention, their brains become overloaded.
Cognitive load theory
Cognitive load theory distinguishes between three different types of load.
Intrinsic load
This refers to the complexity of the material itself. Some topics are naturally more cognitively demanding than others. If you’re in corporate training, you know that videos about compliance often deal with complex concepts that are more difficult to understand.
Extraneous load
This refers to the presentation of the information. Poor layout is one of the ways you can increase extraneous load without adding any learning value.
Germane load
This is the mental effort learners have to devote to understanding information, forming schemas and integrating that knowledge.
Cognitive load e-learning design will present the content in a clear way that’s easy to understand without oversimplifying it. It will try to reduce extraneous load so learners have more capacity for germane load.
Visual overload
Poor instructional video design choices can exceed learners’ working memory capacity and cause visual overload. Some of the main causes of visual overload include:
- Giving too much information simultaneously rather than breaking it down.
- Using unnecessary elements such as too many flashy animations or busy backgrounds. You must be willing to remove elements, which can be harder than adding them.
- Using illegible fonts that are difficult to read and low-quality images.
- Redundancies such as a narrator reading on-screen text word-for-word.
- Not allowing learners to have control over the pace at which they learn.
All of this can pull the attention of learners away from what’s most relevant. When they have to decide what to prioritize, fatigue often comes in and processing slows down. Over time they miss details, disengage and don’t retain the information.
Using the right video hosting platform can help to support good instructional design and offer clean, distraction free learning experiences. For example, you can use video templates to offer more consistency and a clear structure. You can customize them with your own brand elements.
The benefits of clean layouts and focused visuals
When you get rid of non-essentials and redundancies, you can focus learner attention on the most important information. Clean layouts and focused visuals can improve e-learning outcomes. It can focus attention on the storytelling and have a stronger emotional impact.
Reduces cognitive strain and improves focus
Simple design doesn’t overload the working memory of learners with too much information. It presents information in a concise and step-by-step way so they can process it more efficiently. Learners are able to quickly identify the most important information.
Enhances comprehension and retention
Without any extraneous material competing for attention, learners can grasp complex topics more easily. Simple step-by-step explanations make relationships between components clearer. Clarity supports schema formation or the mental structuring that helps learners to transfer knowledge to new situations.
Visuals that directly support narration instead of competing against it also enhance comprehension. They reinforce what’s being said rather than fragmenting attention.
Leads to faster orientation and consistent pacing
When you use consistent placing for titles, visuals and controls, learners know where to look. Smoother pacing helps to prevent frustration and keeps learners in the learning flow.
Offers more accessibility
Simplicity in e-learning video design also offers more accessibility. It makes learning easier for those with cognitive differences or attention deficits. Simple navigation and clear instructions are essential. The easier it is to access and process information, the more successful learning will be for all learners.
When using the Cincopa video hosting platform, you have access to live streaming and can save the live stream as video-on-demand (VOD). You are able to add interactive elements like annotations and calls to action. Subtitles and transcriptions improve accessibility for different language groups and hearing-disabled learners.
Examples of effective minimalist e-learning videos
Effective minimalist e-learning videos share common characteristics. For example, the hierarchy of information offers video learning clarity. Visuals are intentional and support the learning objectives.
Onboarding
New hires can easily become overwhelmed and so onboarding videos can really benefit from having a simple layout. On-screen text should be limited and graphics must be relevant.
The use of a single human presenter often works best in an onboarding video. For example, an executive coach gives advice to new hires on how to give and receive feedback. She presents seven short modules to help new hires understand how to give feedback. They can do it in various ways, such as in the form of video messaging. When they give feedback, it can help them unlock their full potential. The series makes them feel grounded rather than overwhelmed and gives them more confidence.
Compliance training
Compliance videos require simplicity as the topics are complex enough. The best ones are short and focus on a single topic presented in a scenario-based format. Personalizing content for different departments and roles can make them simpler and more relevant.
A successful compliance video that focuses on a single, specific behavior is one called ‘Don’t block the aisle.’ It makes incorrect and correct behavior and its consequences obvious.
Theory-based learning
For abstract topics such as leadership, minimalistic videos may rely on diagrams that evolve with once concept appearing at a time. This allows learners to mentally integrate each element before moving on.
The Google Analytics Academy videos are a good example of minimalistic design. Each video focuses on one concept at a time and teaches learners topics such as how to interpret a metric and how to set up a report. The background is neutral and on-screen text is limited. An instructor explains the concepts in a calm voiceover. There is no background music and you don’t see any animations.
Software and systems training
In software and systems training tutorials, simplicity of design is critical. It’s counterproductive to use too many callouts or arrows. Those that highlight one action at a time keep the screen uncluttered so learners aren’t distracted. This reduces errors and improves task transfer as learners attempt the workflow themselves.
Cincopa’s performance-optimized video hosting platform allows you to create simple video designs for e-learning. You can use customizable players and layout controls for distraction-free learning. It also offers advanced analytics so you can assess your video performance and make improvements. You may receive data insights that allow you to edit and remove extraneous information.
Conclusion – Simplicity as a learning advantage
Simple video design for e-learning has many advantages. Every element on a video screen either supports learning or competes with it. Learners pay the price when you overload your videos. This increases cognitive strain and reduces understanding.
Clean and focused visuals help learners to use their mental resources for the right purpose – absorbing and retaining information so they can apply it. If you go to Cincopa home page, you can sign up for a free trial and find out how it will help you to improve your learning outcomes.
