Gestalt theory and instructional design

Research on the visual presentation of instructions (and other texts) tends to be repetitious, unsystematic, and overly complex. A simpler yet rich approach to analyzing the visual dimension of instructions is Gestalt theory. Gestalt principles of proximi ty, closure, symmetry, figure-ground segregation, good continuation, and similarity provide a powerful approach to making instruc-tions more inviting and consistent, as well as easier to access, follow, and understand. This article applies six Gestalt principles to a badly designed instruction to show what improvements result when Gestalt theory is con-sidered in instructional design. The visual presentation of instructions is of overwhelming importance. Because so much modem technology is complex, costly, intimidating, difficult to under-stand immediately, and even dangerous to use, written instructions must be visual-ly attractive, inviting, and easy to access, follow, and understand. The visual design of the text bears much of the burden for easing the reader into the text and moving her or him through it to a happy and productive conclusion. Many writers about instructional and textual design have tried to ease this burden. For example, works by Benson and Burnett [l], Waller [2], Hartley [3], Rude [4], Fitschen [S], and Glynn, Britton, and Tillman [6] discuss typography, layout, and/or white space. Essays by Redish, Battison, and Gold [7], Waller [2]