Split-attention in multimodal communication

This project is aimed at the question how the communication designer can support the user in processing multimodal information. In multimodal communication, the addressee has to distribute his or her attention over different sources of information, such as visuals and accompanying text. This split attention has some important cognitive consequences. The mental integration of information is a process that seriously affects the working memory load of the addressee. But coordinating the processing activities and constantly taking decisions about how to distribute attention are also processes that require mental effort. The goal of the project is to develop guidelines for designers of multimodal communication, which allow for a smooth process of integration of different input modalities. Furthermore, the project investigates how specific interactive characteristics of digital media can be exploited to this end.