Towards Criteria for Visual Layout of Instructional Multimedia Interfaces

Abstract

This article investigates the use of 11 refined Gestalt laws as the layout rules for instructional multimedia screen design by way of the redesign of the interface of a multimedia computer application and the subsequent evaluation of this redesigned interface. These layout rules are suitable for designing interfaces for complex learning materials in order to achieve more effective learning environments. To test the usefulness of these layout methodologies in visual screen design, they were applied to the redesign of an instructional multimedia application. Three different user groups evaluated the new screen design by comparing the designs. The evaluation results were overwhelmingly positive. Overall, 85% of the evaluators rated positively both the new design and the value of applying the 11 layout rules to improve the learning. This set of layout rules may also be successfully applied to design many different instructional multimedia applications.