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From signal overload to shared insight: creating and structuring scientific visuals for comprehension and dialogue
Joost M Bakker1, Dirma Janse2, Martijn van Overbruggen3
1Scicomvisuals BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Frontiers in Bioinformatics
|March 2, 2026
Summary
Scientific visuals enhance communication by simplifying complex information, aiding comprehension and dialogue. Applying Gestalt principles in a structured design process improves clarity and knowledge building.
Area of Science:
- Scientific Communication
- Visual Design
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive overload hinders scientific content comprehension, particularly in high-stimulus environments like conferences.
- Traditional scientific presentations may prioritize complexity over clarity, limiting message retention and idea exchange.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how scientific visuals can overcome cognitive overload and improve communication.
- To demonstrate the application of Gestalt principles in designing effective scientific visuals.
- To establish a structured process for creating scientifically accessible and impactful visuals.
Main Methods:
- Review of cognitive load theory and its impact on scientific communication.
- Application of Gestalt principles to visual design for pre-attentive processing.
- Development of a three-stage process: sketch, design, and refinement for visual creation.
Main Results:
- Scientific visuals, when designed effectively, can reduce cognitive load and enhance message retention.
- Adherence to Gestalt principles facilitates intuitive understanding of complex scientific information.
- A structured, three-stage approach ensures clarity, precision, and accessibility in scientific visuals.
Conclusions:
- Effective scientific visuals are crucial tools for idea exchange, fostering dialogue, and collaborative learning.
- Prioritizing cognitive accessibility in visual design over mere aesthetics enhances scientific discourse.
- Well-designed scientific visuals are integral to insight generation and knowledge building.
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