Cognitive Overhead, Or Why Your Product Isn’t As Simple As You Think
> There isn’t yet much written about cognitive overhead in our fieldCouldn't disagree more. Cognitive load is a major element of information architecture and even has an explicit representation in flow charts. Any book on information architecture or UX is half about it.Many if not most decisions in interface design and IA are based on estimating (and reducing) cognitive load - how many options/buttons to present, how deep navigation should go, how to group things, splitting up an action flow in order to reduce the memory/choices needed...The example given for QR codes is also wrong - "So it’s a barcode? No? ..." - it is a barcode and you need a barcode scanner/app, everyone knows how barcodes work. QR codes are not the best thing around, but IMO they didn't catch on for a lack of interest from manufacturers (no native support), not because it's overly complex.