Communication Design – Neurodesign in Practice

MA Emma Kocmanek Dikyova, DipArt
29. 6. 2018
Minut čtení: 2

Aktualizováno: 21. 5.

for Fashion Retail Magazine 5–6/2018

COMMUNICATION DESIGN – NEURODESIGN IN PRACTICE

Neurodesign – the academic sibling of practical design – helps us create effective visual messages tailored to our target customer.

What Is Neurodesign and How Can It Help Build Good Business?

1. Processing Fluency – The Speed and Ease of Understanding Information

The goal is to make information as intuitive as possible for customers. We aim for processing fluency—how quickly and easily information can be absorbed. It’s crucial how the new information is presented. It should be accessible, using commonly known or simplified terminology and a layout that allows the viewer to quickly decode it.

Minimalist design is especially effective, as it helps guide the viewer through content without distractions. The simpler and more familiar the message—even if it's complex—the quicker it’s understood, leading to faster purchase decisions.

2. Selective Attention, Filtering, and Key CuesPeople are often distracted, but they can focus on a key message and filter out the rest—this is selective attention. If you want them to notice something specific, make it stand out. Avoid including irrelevant information. Highlighting the core message dramatically improves focus and retention.

3. Multitasking – The MythDespite popular belief, multitasking is a myth. Neuroscience confirms that while people can switch tasks rapidly, they cannot perform two mental tasks simultaneously—like talking on the phone while driving. The issue isn’t physical (holding the phone) but mental (splitting attention).

Design should avoid forcing users to split their focus. The rule of thumb: one message, one key piece of information.

4. “Can I Eat It? Can I Mate With It? Will It Kill Me?”Humans can’t resist movement, faces, images of food, sex, danger, stories, and loud sounds. The “three-brain theory” identifies:

The new brain (reasoning and logic),
The mid-brain (emotions), and
The reptilian brain (survival instincts).

To grab attention effectively, link your visual content to one of these primal triggers. While you can’t predict their exact reaction, you can be sure they will notice.

Insights Above All

Designers already use intuition and principles tied to the craft. Neurodesign deepens these principles by explaining how people respond to specific visual elements. This knowledge allows for more effective, goal-driven design. Practice, when combined with neuroscience, produces superior outcomes—and effective design means better business.

“Neurodesign provides insights into how design can boost engagement—and thus profitability.”—

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