[IxDA Discuss] Cognitive load question

[Bruce Esrig]

Perhaps this is not an industry-standard way of defining the term, but
after reading the preceding messages on this thread, I would say ...

My intuition about "cognitive load" is based on what a user must learn
in order to formulate and reach a goal at a web site.

The elements of the cognitive load of purposeful action at a web site are:
  - understanding the categories (at two levels, content and controls) used 
at the site
  - formulating a goal in terms of the categories
  - understanding enough of the decision tree to chart a path to the goal
  - understanding enough of the site content and controls to traverse that path
  - understanding the content and controls at the destination

If the user is in a highly exploratory mode, "formulating a goal" could 
happen quite late,
or could be rather spontaneous.

Best wishes,

Bruce Esrig

At 03:25 PM 6/7/2006, Lisa deBettencourt wrote:>
cognitive load can
be affected by the places during interaction where you have to copy, say, a
product number from one page and insert it into a text box on another.
Cognitive load theory comes into play when you use your memory for that
transfer instead of the copy/paste function in the browser.

... " ... many site navigations are presented on all pages at all times for 
continuous
reference. Immediate memory doesn't play a significant role."