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5 Key UI Design Principles— And How To Use Them | Figma

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UI design principles can make your product or site more engaging, useful, accessible, and trustworthy. Here’s the short list of UI design principles you need to know.

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Demystifying And Applying The 11 Principles Of eLearning

The intrinsic value of eLearning-its limitless accessibility, applications, and advancements-can't be overstated. Learners from classrooms to corporations have access to self-paced, just-in-time education and training at their fingertips. And with technology, eLearning is ever-changing and evolving to meet lifelong learners exactly where they are and provide them with exactly what they need, exactly when they need it.

But eLearning courseware is more than words and audio on a screen. To create an effective and impactful course, learning materials must be strategically and thoughtfully designed with appropriate Instructional Design principles.

These principles guide each course and are adjusted and customized to create the most impactful learning experience. Simply put, Instructional Designers are like master chefs, who have to balance and blend all the principles necessary to capitalize on each opportunity to engage and educate a learner.

Principles Of eLearning

In his book, Multimedia Learning [1], Richard E. Mayer discusses 12 principles that shape the design and organization of multimedia presentations. Here, we break down and demystify 11 of these fundamental eLearning principles:

1. Multimedia Principle

This principle uses words and graphics concurrently, rather than words exclusively. This approach engages both visual and auditory elements as learners often prefer to learn from both words and pictures, rather than from words alone. With new innovations such as 3-D modeling and animation, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality courses are being brought to life like never before, creating maximum impact. This principle is economical, impactful and the combinations therein are virtually limitless, making it an easy choice.

2. Contiguity Principles

This principle leverages words and corresponding graphics, presenting both elements in close proximity to one another, and is broken into 2 subcategories: spatial and temporal contiguity.

Spatial Contiguity Principle
This principle relies on spatial relativity, keeping the words explaining a concept and their accompanying images together, and facilitates a learner's ability to fully understand and process the information.

Temporal Contiguity Principle
Conversely, this principle presents corresponding words and images simultaneously, rather than successively. Both visuals-words and images-can then be processed concurrently to facilitate retention and understanding.

Think of it like this: instead of revealing all page elements at once, learners can instead actively select certain features using a 'hover-and-reveal' or 'click-and-reveal' feature to avoid overloading the screen-and the audience.

3. Modality Principle

This principle presents words and information in the form of audio narration, rather than on-screen text. Images are described as well so learners don't risk experiencing cognitive overload, as they can instead focus on one element: the narration.

According to the Cognitive Load Theory, the amount of information that working memory can hold at one time is limited. As such, this principle caters to the theory that related sources of information can be understood with the integration-rather than the separation-of information through narration.

The narration is a powerful tool, especially when leveraged as a real-life testimonial that conveys the intensity or severity of topics. Through impactful student testimonials, for example, there are online learning modules which use the power of storytelling narration in their online learning designed to prevent sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking on college campuses.

4. Redundancy Principle

This principle explains visuals with words in audio or text, but not both. As such, both elements instead complement one another, rather than confound a learner with an overload of all available elements, using a less-is-more approach.

An example of this principle in action is when learners are empowered to choose whether they want to listen to audio or read the text. Captions can be turned on or off, and audio can be muted for times when learners are in a shared space.

5. Coherence Principle

Similar to the Redundancy Principle, this also adopts a less-is-more approach. Irrelevant, extraneous or inapplicable information is eliminated, including audio, visuals, and words, to avoid distraction and increase learning and retention, allowing the learner to concentrate on critical elements only.

Simply put: if words, audio, or images can be omitted without affecting the impact of the message or information, omit them.

6. Personalization Principle

This principle indicates the use of a conversational-style voice and tone-rather than a formal, authoritative tone-to put the learner at ease. It serves to give the content a more approachable, intimate feel so learners can process the content more easily with increased attention and engagement.

Consider these 2 tones for explaining compounding interest from eLearning and the Science of Instruction [2]:

Example 1
'Interest is compounded or added to the existing cash balance monthly. For disclosure on client statements, the annual percentage yield earned is calculated as follows ...'

Example 2
'Clients will often ask you to explain how the Annual Percentage Yield on their statement was calculated. This can be confusing, so let's run through an example ...'

The Personalization Principle would then suggest that the second, more informal example is more relatable and, therefore, more engaging to the learner.

7. Segmenting Principle

This principle serves to manage complexity by breaking a lesson into smaller, more palatable parts. Since eLearning is predominantly self-paced, this principle helps to reinforce that process, facilitating learning with user-paced segments, rather than as a continuous module. Further, this principle gives learners more control, allowing them to find what they need, see where they've been and know what to expect.

Accordingly, microlearning, a new technique being utilized in eLearning, breaks down course material into smaller, more digestible segments.

8. Signaling Principle

This principle suggests that people learn better when cues that highlight the organization of the essential material are added, encouraging organized learning content. Further, it suggests that content should get incrementally more complex, with simpler concepts being presented first.

The simplest way to contextualize the principle is to think back on meals as a child. Just as you would spread your lima beans all over your plate to give the illusion you've eaten more than you have, breaking up blocks of content into visually smaller chunks gives the illusion of more manageable, bite-sized content.

9. Voice Principle

This principle suggests that people learn better when the narration is spoken in an intimate, informal friendly human voice rather than a robotic voice. Often, machine voices are more cost-effective but in the long run, retention and engagement suffer.

In fact, SafeSchools, for example, won a storytelling award, highlighting how effectively courses can deliver information by creating relatable scenarios with which your learners will empathize, thus fostering an emotional connection with the content.

10. Pre-Training Principle

This principle capitalizes on what essentially amounts to learning calisthenics as learners benefit when they preemptively know the names and characteristics included in the content. If you think of learning as a cocktail party, the pre-training principle is a learner's first introduction to everyone at the party, upon which they build familiarity, comfort-and then continue building once connections are fostered.

Think of it like this: before a learner is to begin a course of complex, industry-jargoned content, a course can present a list of frequently used-but relatively uncommon-terms and phrases so the learner has a much greater chance of success-and retention.

In the 'recipe' of eLearning, Instructional Design can leverage any combination of these principle 'ingredients' in order to provide limitless opportunities for learning. These design principles provide eLearning courseware and content variety-the 'spice' of learning-to make it endlessly engaging, informative, and instructional for both corporate and classroom learners alike.
References:

1. Multimedia Learning

2. e-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of Multimedia Learning, 4th Edition

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11 Principles Of eLearning: Demystified And Applied - eLearning Industry

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The intrinsic value of eLearning-its limitless accessibility, applications, and advancements-can't be overstated. Learners from classrooms to corporations have access to self-paced, just-in-time education and training at their fingertips. And with technology, eLearning is ever-changing and evolving to meet lifelong learners exactly where they are and provide them with exactly what they need, exactly when they need it.

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Bloom’s Taxonomy: Decoded – Learning Everest

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With a group of psychologists, Benjamin Bloom created Bloom’s Taxonomy. A hierarchical model of the cognitive skills involved in learning.

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The following list is based on my observations-there will always be exceptions to these! You'll likely encounter instructional designers from all walks of life, which will only enrich their work!
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1. Graphic Designers
Graphic designers turned instructional designers will have a solid background in colour theory, composition, and visual design. They will excel at projects requiring rebranding eLearning, modernizing job-aids and creating a consistent look and feel for learning assets. Most instructional designers with a graphics design background work collaboratively with content specialists or more experienced instructional designers who can bring solid learning methodology or cognitive science background to a project.
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Ideal for: Rebranding projects, eLearning redesigns, modernizing training resources, improving user experience (UX/UI).

2. Videographers
Skilled at writing impactful scripts and quick at editing, audio, music and composition, videographers can easily branch out into learning videos, interactive video, video tutorials, and YouTube or TED talk videos. They're effective storytellers that can create an emotional impact in a concise format (and emotions are a key part of the neuroscience behind how the brain learns best).
Ideal for: Learning that can show (not just tell), scripting, and producing high quality, high resolution videos with a dual marketing and learning purpose.

3. Marketers or Communications Professionals
Learning consultants with a background in communication are often the best at tone, voice, narration, and scripting. They're also well-versed on making large amounts of content consistent, relatable, and on-brand. Many instructional designers are also copy editors.
Some even come with a digital marketing background in website content, digital analytics or graphic design, so they have an innate ability to gather, monitor, and use learning analytics to inform their work and meet the organization's goals too. They are also skilled at measuring ROI.

These professionals sometimes benefit from partnering with educators or formally trained instructional designers who can confirm learning objectives and evaluate content using educational principles and adult learning methodologies.

I deal for: Human resources training, employee training, content-heavy topics, tone or brand training, and all types of courses about communication skills.

4. Educators​
IDs with a background in teaching or education tend to have ample experience in designing learning activities, facilitating curriculum, and creating unit and lesson plans for the classroom.
Educators come with a solid academic background in education methodologies, and most have a Bachelor of Education as a minimum if they worked in the public school system.

Educators are excellent at chunking large concepts, engaging learners, and explaining concepts in ways learners respond to best. Although most educators are trained in pedagogy (children and youth focused methods) they may not necessarily have formal training in andragogy (adult education). Many will find their existing qualification and skills highly transferable to adult learning settings and add adult education to their professional development with certificates, courses, and conferences. Read my other post about why teachers make great IDs.

Ideal for: Projects or courses you're building from scratch, working with large groups of subject matter experts, designing engaging classroom and blended learning courses.

5. Developers​
Developers, coders, software students or junior engineers are excellent at configuring learning systems and finding workarounds to common delivery problems.
Learning consultants with backgrounds in Software as a Service (SaaS) or general development backgrounds excel at delivering course authoring builds or customized course functionality. They usually collaborate with instructional designers on the content itself or build eLearning courses storyboarded by Instructional Designers who worked with subject matter experts on the content in a previous project phase.

Ideal for: application programming interface (API) and experience API, system integration, or complex course authoring builds that require complex functionality (i.e., more robust use of software like Storyline, Captivate, etc.)

6. Technical Writers
Instructional designers with a technical writing background know how to translate complex IT processes into user-friendly steps. They are excellent at developing and maintaining knowledge bases, visualizing information, and are usually thorough, systematic and detail-oriented.
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Ideal for: User guides, infographics, job-aids, systems training and documenting process.

7. Business Analysts
Some of my favourite learning colleagues to work with used to be Business Analysts: By definition, all Instructional designers design for behaviour change, and business analysists know a lot about using business intelligence to solve business problems. They're excellent at conducting audits of your Learning Management System (or learning records in general), evaluating effectiveness or measuring training impact, and providing project management for large learning initiatives or programs.
Both Marketers and Business Analysts have deep and practical knowledge of analytics, qualitative and quantitative data, and using data to drive business decisions and map your return on investment. This means they'll have your goals in mind at every step of the project.

Ideal for: LMS administration review, database audits, learning reports and metrics analysis, and troubleshooting eLearning issues.

Remember: We can't expect someone to know all and be all- there are no 'unicorns' out there! Finding someone with experience relevant to your project's goals and deliverables will mean looking for that special skillset. The best way to find this is to contact the consultant directly and ask them to provide examples of a client list and samples of recent work similar to your project. Read my other tips on what to look for in an instructional design consultant, or get in touch with me to see if I've got the right skillset for your next project!

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7 Types of Instructional Designers You Can Hire

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The following list is based on my observations-there will always be exceptions to these! You'll likely encounter instructional designers from all walks of life, which will only enrich their work! ​1. Graphic Designers Graphic designers turned instructional designers will have a solid background in colour theory, composition, and visual design.

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6 ID Principels for Authoring eLearning 

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6 ID Principels for Authoring eLearning 

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6 Instructional Design Principles for Authoring E-learning Content

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An effective e-learning experience centers on being relevant, interactive, collaborative and engaging, and is geared towards improving knowledge retention. Research shows that e-learning increases retention rates to 82% on average.

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Discover the best collection of eLearning articles, concepts, software and eLearning resources

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Post your eLearning article. At eLearning Industry you will find the best collection of eLearning articles, eLearning concepts, eLearning software, and eLearning resources.

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Storytelling For Learning: How To Tell Stories That Inspire Action

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In order to inspire action, stories must be told effectively. Learn how storytelling works and how to use stories for learning.

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Log into CSATF's LinkedIn learning account then go to the learning plan. You should 've also received a recommendation message from LinkedIn Learning.

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Bloom's Taxonomy provides a list of action verbs based on each level of understanding. This assists instructors when creating lesson and course objectives.

The following is a list of measurable action verbs that can be used when you are creating your learning objectives. Keep in mind that the goal is not to use different or creative verbs for each objective. That could be confusing to your students. Instead, try and identify the most accurate verb that relates to how you will assess your student's mastery of the objective. For more about using Bloom's Taxonomy in your classroom, please see: tips.uark.edu/using-blooms-taxonomy/

TIPS tip: If you know what verb you want to use, but you are needing to know the Bloom's level, you can use the "find" function (press: Ctrl-F, or Command-F on a Mac) in your browser to locate specific verbs on this chart.

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Bloom's Taxonomy provides a list of action verbs based on each level of understanding. This assists instructors when creating lesson and course objectives. The following is a list of measurable action verbs that can be used when you are creating your learning objectives.

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View the entire axe-con 2025 live event schedule. Divided into 4 tracks supporting digital accessibility. Design, Dev, Org Success & Wildcard.

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Action Verbs for Writing Learning Objectives

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Mastering the Instructional Design Processes - Book

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Mastering the Instructional Design Processes - Book

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Mastering the Instructional Design Process - 2016 - Rothwell

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SCG CS Innovation Session 1 Presentation