233 TIPS Graphics and Visu De al sign 233 TIPS ON GRAPHICS AND VISUAL DESIGN Forty-Seven Tips on Using Graphics and Text Effectively Use graphics relevant to the concepts addressed on the page or screen to reinforce an idea, thus increasing the learner’s retention. Also, make sure the graphics are not too small, large, or numerous on the page or screen at any given time. Otherwise, they may increase the learner’s irrelevant mental load, which could jeopardize the intended outcomes of the training. Richard Butler, AT&T Use the right medium for the message: • Diagrams and animations convey conceptual relationships • Photos and videos convey context • Cartoons, comics, and graphic novels integrate the two • Text is for static language; audio is for language with dynamic visuals and/or context Clark Quinn, Quinnovation Be careful which colors you use for text in a course. Saturated colors can help with focus, but they can also cause issues with how text is read. For instance, saturated red text is hard to read. And if you put a saturated text color on top of a saturated color in the background, you can create “resonance,” which is very hard for the user to read. John Trest, Inspired eLearning 31 www.eLearningGuild.com