Paper Number
ICIS2025-2143
Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
While businesses are under pressure to provide comprehensive and transparent information to meet growing societal demands, this overabundance of information can paradoxically result in decision difficulty and dissatisfaction among users due to cognitive overload. This paper investigates how visual aesthetic information design can reduce such negative effects on user behavior. Two experimental studies were conducted, systematically manipulating both the amount of product information and its visual presentation. The first study focused on manufacturer-provided information, whereas the second examined third-party information such as user reviews and Q&A sections. The results indicate that an aesthetically designed presentation significantly leads to lower decision difficulty, higher decision satisfaction, and reduced switching likelihood. By integrating principles of aesthetic design into information presentation, this research enhances the understanding in information systems of user cognition and behavior and offers practical implications for improving user experience in digital marketplaces.
Recommended Citation
Rollin, Robér; Schramm-Klein, Hanna; Schell, Eric; Schmitz, Julian; and Roeding, Tobias, "Reducing the Negative Effects of Cognitive Overload through Visual Aesthetic Design" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 24.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/hti/hti/24
Reducing the Negative Effects of Cognitive Overload through Visual Aesthetic Design
While businesses are under pressure to provide comprehensive and transparent information to meet growing societal demands, this overabundance of information can paradoxically result in decision difficulty and dissatisfaction among users due to cognitive overload. This paper investigates how visual aesthetic information design can reduce such negative effects on user behavior. Two experimental studies were conducted, systematically manipulating both the amount of product information and its visual presentation. The first study focused on manufacturer-provided information, whereas the second examined third-party information such as user reviews and Q&A sections. The results indicate that an aesthetically designed presentation significantly leads to lower decision difficulty, higher decision satisfaction, and reduced switching likelihood. By integrating principles of aesthetic design into information presentation, this research enhances the understanding in information systems of user cognition and behavior and offers practical implications for improving user experience in digital marketplaces.
When commenting on articles, please be friendly, welcoming, respectful and abide by the AIS eLibrary Discussion Thread Code of Conduct posted here.
Comments
15-Interaction