233 TIPS Graphics and Visu De al sign 233 TIPS ON GRAPHICS AND VISUAL DESIGN Nine Tips on Supporting Learning Through Intuitive Interfaces If your learning content is designed to reach audiences across the world, then it is important to consider internationalization from the very start. Internationalization or globalization is the design of content for easy localization. You can consider this from a technical standpoint, such as creating text elements in a way that can be swapped out for language translations. Elements such as date and time formats vary by country. You can also consider internationalization from an inclusive perspective, avoiding content that may be subject to misrepresentation or insensitivity by global audiences. Be aware of unconscious biases and cultural references that wouldn’t make sense in other parts of the world. If you keep these principles in mind, then you’ll be set up for a much smoother localization process for targeting audiences that vary in culture, region, or language. Your global audience will consume and retain knowledge more intuitively because the localized content will serve a more personalized learning experience. Ben Cruz, Google Don’t forget accessibility! Test your customized palette, course template, and graphics using one of the many available online color-blindness simulators. See how your beautifully designed and perfectly colored course will look to all learners! Chuck Jones, Orgwide Custom Learning Solutions In web design, the mantra coined by Steve Krug is “Don’t make me think.” This idea is precisely what we want with our interfaces. Learners have limited cognitive resources, and depleting those on the interface before they have a chance to actually interact with our content is tragic. Allowing our learners to focus on the essential elements to improve learning is what we are after. Richard Mayer’s “coherence principle” also supports this when he calls for us to eliminate extraneous material. Nicholas Rider, Indiana Wesleyan University Our team at Petco uses Piktochart for engaging infographics to enhance our communication. We’ve designed over 50 different break room posters, visual data summaries, and timelines for our store partners at our retail stores. We have also incorporated the use of QR codes on these informational pieces to bring our information to life visually through videos. Grace Gil, Petco 17 www.eLearningGuild.com