UX : Improving Review Form by Reducing Cognitive Load
In the era when bad review means bad reputation, how can we improve the review form?
As a review generation, we fulfilled our need from reviews. From which restaurant should we go tonight to which hotel should we book this weekend. Why risking losing a penny on a bad hotel when you can read the review first? So, how can we step up the game?
Cognitive load
What is Cognitive load?
What is cognitive load? Most computer users have learned that running too many programs at the same time can slow down or even crash the machine, so, we closing programs when we aren’t using them. Just like computers, human brains have a limited amount of processing power. The best way to explain it is by quoting @Dwinawan in his post, “Tentang Cognitive Load”
The higher cognitive load when using an application, the harder it is. On the contrary, the lower cognitive load when using an application, the easier it is.
What causes cognitive load?
Cognitive load can occur from several factors, such as too many choices, too much thought required, lack of clarity, etc. These factors require users to process information longer and cause a higher cognitive load.
Reducing Cognitive load in Review form
Now, take a look at this review form. At a glance, there’s nothing wrong with the form. It’s pretty simple and straight-forward. Well, what could be improved?
Eliminate unnecessary task
To reduce cognitive load, we need to eliminate unnecessary task as much as possible, such as reading content and remembering information.
- Reducing Reading Content
For example, rather than making users read the text, using icon will be faster to proceed. Adding colour also playing a big role to distinguish the different selections that will lead to lower cognitive load.
Furthermore, displaying the answer as an icon, rather than drop downs not only reducing the action but also faster to proceed as well, since the user don’t have to click on the dropdowns, and read the answer one by one.
2. Reducing Remembering Information
To improve the experience, we adding the item being reviewed in the top of the form. Adding the item detail can reduce the cognitive load since the user doesn’t have to remember the detailed information. This can work even better if the form contains numerous question, since this help user for not feeling lost in the middle of questions.
Reducing the Split-Attention Effect
To reduce user’s attention being split, we change the form behaviour. From all questions at once into one by one question. Too many questions at once can derail users from their task at hand. Removing distraction can reduce loading times and streamlining the experience.
Reflection
Human brains have a limited amount of processing power, too many information can make us overwhelmed. To minimize cognitive load, we could eliminate unnecessary tasks, such as reducing design that requires the user to read text with a picture or icon and reduce design that requires users to remember information. To streamlining the experience, we can reduce the user’s attention split by displaying one question at a time. In the end, lower cognitive load makes an easy to use application
The finished review form prototype
Further reading
