“We added visuals to make it more engaging.”
But did those visuals actually help the learner learn?
That’s the real question — and one that often gets skipped in training design.
Most visuals in eLearning are added for polish, not purpose. But when you understand how the brain learns, you realize something powerful:
👉 The right visuals don’t just decorate your content — they drive comprehension, memory, and motivation.
👉 The wrong visuals? They distract, overload, or simply waste the learner’s cognitive energy.
At F.Learning, we’ve spent years combining learning science with visual design. And here’s what we know: If you don’t understand how the brain processes information, even the best-looking visuals can fail.
In this article, we’ll unpack:
- How the brain filters and stores new information
- What visuals need to do at each stage (attention, working memory, long-term memory)
- How to design visuals that work with the brain, not against it
The Learning Brain: It’s a System, Not a Sponge
Learning isn’t about dumping information into a brain and hoping it sticks. The brain doesn’t absorb content like a sponge — it filters, processes, and stores information in stages. And at every stage, it makes decisions about what’s worth keeping and what gets tossed.
If your visuals don’t align with how the brain works, they might look good — but they won’t help learners understand or remember.
The Learning Flow – How the Brain Processes Information
Each stage builds on the last. If learners miss something in Stage 1 (Attention), they’ll never process it in Stage 2 (Working Memory) — which means it won’t reach Stage 3 (Long-Term Memory).
Attention — The Brain’s Gatekeeper
Our brains are constantly bombarded with information. In any given moment, only a small fraction makes it into conscious awareness. That’s where attention comes in — it’s the filter that decides what enters the learning process.
If a visual doesn’t grab attention — or worse, competes with too much else — it gets ignored.
How visuals help guide attention:
- Contrast (e.g., bright colors on muted backgrounds)
- Visual hierarchy (headlines, font sizes, layout)
- Animation or movement (used intentionally)
- Whitespace and simplicity (to reduce noise)
An example of how we utilize contrast and visual hierarchy to guide attention more effectively.
Working Memory — The Brain’s Bottleneck
Once information passes through attention, it enters working memory — the brain’s temporary processing space.
But here’s the catch:
Working memory is incredibly limited — usually just 4 to 7 “chunks” at a time. Overload learners, and they’ll retain nothing.
How visuals reduce cognitive load:
- Break info into small, manageable chunks
- Avoid visual overload (too many elements on screen)
- Use one animation or idea at a time
- Pair visuals with narration, not redundant text
Long-Term Memory — Where Learning Becomes Knowledge
Long-term memory is the destination — it’s where knowledge is stored, organized, and retrieved.
If you want learners to use what they’ve learned, your visuals need to help them remember it.
How visuals build lasting knowledge:
- Use consistent visual systems (colors, icons, layouts)
- Reinforce mental models (frameworks, diagrams)
- Apply metaphors or analogies learners already understand
- Design for reuse: a good diagram should work across modules
Connecting New to Old — Activating Prior Knowledge
The brain learns best when it can link new content to something familiar. That’s why activating prior knowledge is so powerful — and why visuals that ignore this often confuse or overwhelm.
“Oh, that reminds me of…” is the brain making a successful learning connection.
How visuals build bridges to prior knowledge:
- Start with advance organizers or concept previews
- Use comparisons (before/after, A vs. B)
- Bring in familiar formats (maps, symbols, real-world metaphors)
- Echo earlier visuals to signal conceptual continuity
📌 Example: A learning journey was visualized as a map — stations = touchpoints. This metaphor turned a boring framework into something learners already understood.
| 🧠 Cognitive Stage | ❓ Ask Yourself… | ✅ You’re on the right track if… |
| 👁️ Attention Guide focus | – Is one element clearly the visual focal point? – Am I using contrast, size, or animation to direct the eye? – Is anything distracting from the key message? | – Learners know where to look instantly – No clutter or competing visuals |
| 🧠 Working Memory Avoid overload | – Are there more than 4–5 chunks on screen? – Can this be understood in 5 seconds or less? – Am I using too much text or too many visuals at once? | – The screen feels clean, not crowded – Content is layered or sequenced logically |
| 🗂️ Long-Term Memory Make it stick | – Is this visual part of a larger system or framework? – Am I using consistent design (icons, colors, layout)? – Can this visual be reused to aid recall later? | – Learners can describe the visual or use it again – It supports patterns or mental models |
| 🔗 Prior Knowledge Connect to what they know | – Does this visual reference something familiar? – Have I used analogies or comparisons? – Is this building on earlier content in the lesson? | – Learners say, “This reminds me of…” – It bridges old and new knowledge smoothly |
What’s Next — The 6 Psychological Functions of Visuals
Understanding how the brain learns is only half the story. Next, we’ll explore how visuals can actively support each cognitive stage — not just passively accompany them.
In the next article, we’ll dive into the 6 Psychological Functions of Visuals, including how to:
- Direct learner attention with precision
- Build emotional engagement
- Reduce overload and guide mental flow
- Reinforce memory through design
Want to See It in Action?
Explore how we apply brain-based visual design in real client projects — from complex medical training to compliance courses people actually finish.
Sean Bui, the founder and creative director of F.Learning Studio, is a respected leader in the e-learning and multimedia production industry. With over 10 years of experience, he has dedicated his career to helping organizations create engaging and impactful learning experiences.
Under his leadership, F.Learning Studio has grown into a trusted partner for organizations in the education, healthcare, and corporate training sectors, producing over 2,000 minutes of educational animation.
