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Updated: May 16, 2025

Problem-Solving Before Instruction PS-I: A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
Published on: September 11, 2021
Impact of work instruction difficulty on cognitive load and operational efficiency.
Abdulrahman K Eesee1,2, Vera Varga3, György Eigner4,5
1Department of System Engineering, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, 8200, Hungary.
Visual-based instructions reduce cognitive load and improve task efficiency in Industry 4.0 settings. However, code-based instructions enhance precision for complex tasks, suggesting a trade-off between cognitive ease and accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Industrial Engineering
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Industry 4.0 integration necessitates optimizing work instructions for human performance.
- Balancing cognitive load and task outcomes is crucial for the 5th industrial revolution's human-centric approach.
- Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) provides a framework for understanding instructional impacts on performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare visual-based versus code-based work instructions.
- To determine if cognitive overload can be reduced without compromising task outcomes.
- To assess the impact of instructional methods on cognitive load and operational efficiency in an industrial assembly task.
Main Methods:
- 30 academic participants performed assembly tasks using visual and code-based instructions.
- Objective cognitive load measures included Galvanic Skin Response, Heart Rate Variability, and hand motion acceleration.
- Subjective cognitive load was assessed using the NASA Task Load Index and Dundee Stress State Questionnaire.
- Performance metrics included task completion time (TCT), number of task repetitions (NTR), and assembly precision.
Main Results:
- Visual-based instructions significantly reduced cognitive load.
- Visual-based instructions improved TCT and NTR.
- Code-based instructions led to higher assembly precision despite increased cognitive load.
- A [Formula: see text] reduction in cognitive load was observed with visual instructions.
- Performance improvements for TCT and NTR were observed with visual instructions with [Formula: see text].
- Assembly precision improved with code-based instructions with a [Formula: see text].
Conclusions:
- Simple, direct instructions (visual-based) enhance task execution and reduce cognitive load.
- Complex, deep-thinking instructions (code-based) may be superior for tasks demanding high precision.
- Instructional design should consider the trade-off between cognitive load, efficiency, and precision requirements.
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