The Cost of Cognitive Load
Every competing element on your page is a tax on your user. Simplification is not subtraction — it is clarity.
Cognitive load is the silent conversion killer. It does not announce itself with error messages or broken layouts. It simply makes your visitor feel tired. And tired visitors leave.
Three Types of Cognitive Load
- Intrinsic load — The inherent complexity of the task. Buying enterprise software is more complex than buying a book. You cannot eliminate this.
- Extraneous load — The unnecessary complexity your design adds. Competing navigation, unclear labels, decorative elements that serve no function. You can and must eliminate this.
- Germane load — The productive mental effort of understanding and learning. Good design supports this — progressive disclosure, clear hierarchy, contextual help.
Your job as a designer is to eliminate extraneous load and support germane load. That is the entire discipline of UX in one sentence.
The One-CTA-Per-Viewport Rule
At ALO, we enforce a strict rule: one call to action per viewport. Not one "primary" CTA with a secondary option. One. This forces every section to have a singular purpose, and it forces the design to earn the next scroll rather than hedging with options.
Simplification is not subtraction. It is the discipline of showing only what matters at the moment it matters.