Cognitive Load

Cognitive load describes the mental effort needed to understand information and carry out a task. A service website can raise that effort by presenting too many competing buttons, unfamiliar labels, or instructions spread across several screens. A cleaner's quote form may be easier to use when it asks only relevant questions, groups related details, and explains what happens next. Reducing cognitive load does not mean removing necessary information; it means organizing it so visitors can make decisions without needless mental work. Visual hierarchy and plain language can help, but the result should be checked with real tasks. Cognitive load is the user-side demand, not a specific design component.