How do I balance cognitive load with context in presentations?

[StevenG]

I was reading about cognitive load theory and how it applies to designing presentations. It makes perfect sense on paper, but when I try to simplify my slides, I feel like I'm leaving out important context. Is there a point where reducing load actually reduces understanding?

[DavidVP]

Cognitive load theory helps explain why slides with too much text or busy visuals can confuse rather than clarify. The idea is to reduce extraneous load while keeping the essential context for the main point.

[John19]

I get worried about oversimplifying. If you strip away context you can end up with a surface takeaway and people forget the why behind it.

[Nora.L]

Practical move keep a short context line on each slide and push the deeper explanation to your speaker notes. Have a friend try to explain the concept after a quick glance to test understanding.

[Stephen77]

Chunk information into small units and use a clear signposting structure so the audience knows where you are in the argument. A quick recap at the end helps anchor it.

[Stella.H]

Give a one page handout that carries the context diagrams or key definitions while slides stay clean with the core ideas you want them to leave with.

[LukeUR]

What is your topic and audience what part of the context feels non negotiable to understand the main idea If you want you can share a sample slide and we can look for places to preserve context without crowding the slide.