3 Design Theories and 20 Principles for eLearning Designers Infographic

Design Theories and Principles That eLearning Designers Should Know

1. C.R.A.P. for Effective Visual Design
   The 4 basic principles present in every eLearning design can be abbreviated to CRAP.
   1. Contrast
      Any two items that are not exactly the same should be very different.
   2. Repetition
      eLearning designers should repeat certain design elements throughout the course.
   3. Alignment
      Different aspects of the design should line up in columns, rows, and along a centerline.
   4. Proximity
      Developers should group related items together.
2. Gestalt for Coherence
   There are 6 principles of Gestalt, which work together to ensure learners form a positive opinion about the design from the first glance. These principles are:
   1. Similarity
      Elements that are similar to one another merge into groups almost automatically.
   2. Proximity
      The idea that when learners sees several objects arranged together, they perceive these objects as belonging to a group.
   3. Closure
      The mind fills incomplete space with the missing information.
   4. Simplicity
      The mind will attempt to turn visual chaos into something more simple and understandable.
   5. Continuation
      The human eye naturally wants to move from one object to another.
   6. Symmetry and order
      The mind tries to perceive objects as symmetrical and based around a central point. This is because it makes sense to perceptually divide objects evenly and turn random, unconnected items into something understandable.
      Read this article: Understanding and Using the Laws of Perception in eLearning Design
3. Dieter Rams’s Principles of Good Design
   In the early 1980s, Dieter Rams set out the following 10 principles:
   1. Good Design Is Innovative
      Innovative design has the element of surprise, which stops students from becoming bored and improves learners’ ability to encode new information.
   2. Good Design Makes a Product Useful
      Learners must find content useful to find value in it. Without perceived usefulness, students will learn very little.
   3. Good Design Is Aesthetic
      Aesthetics go hand in hand with usefulness. A course must be appealing in order for users to want to spend time with the content.
   4. Good Design Makes a Product Understandable
      The “product” in this sense is the eLearning course. It should consist of content relevant to learners’ needs by taking into account the skills students currently possess while providing learners with material that will lead them to obtaining the knowledge they desire.
   5. Good Design Is Unobtrusive
      Courses are tools to fulfill a purpose; therefore, eLearning design must be unobtrusive to leave room for self-expression.
   6. Good Design Is Honest
      Modules and objectives must all promise only what they can actually offer learners. When eLearning design ensures that expectations are met, students will have set their expectations for the program accurately and will experience no let down.
   7. Good Design Is Long Lasting
      By avoiding the latest trends and fads, a course will never become outdated. Although the developer can refine the information, there will never be any need to start over completely.
   8. Good Design Is Thorough Down to the Last Detail
      Nothing about an eLearning design should be arbitrary or left to chance. Instead, every detail should be planned to meet users’ needs and desires.
   9. Good Design Is Environmentally Friendly
      The design of any product should contribute to the preservation of the environment by conserving resources as far as possible and minimizing both physical and visual pollution. In terms of an eLearning course, this means improving the learning environment of the students and creating no extra noise or pollution for learners.
   10. Good Design Is as Little Design as Possible
       Developers should focus on just the most essential aspects of the course to make it as good as it can possibly be. Adhering to this rule of simplicity ensures that learners only receive as much material as they can absorb.