Using “Chunking” to Get Readers to Retain Information

As a graphic designer, you are faced with many challenges when it comes to designing your brochure, sales flier, catalog, or any other marketing collateral. One of those challenges is how to best organize the information on the page. Your ultimate goal, or the goal of your client is to get the important information in front of the reader and to get the reader to act by either calling, visiting a website, or by making a purchase. While there are many variables when it comes to getting readers to respond, the concept of chunking information can help organize important information in order to get readers to retain information long enough to act.

Chunking is a psychological concept that helps facilitate short-term memory retention. It’s basic function is to string letters, words, or a series of numbers in “chunks” of 7 (plus or minus 2) in order to simplify the data in an effort to help the reader retain vital information, like a phone number.

Chunking basically takes a long list of information and breaks it down into manageable “chunks” of information. However, not everything with a list would be practical to chunk; for example a dictionary. It’s not practical to include only 5 to 7 entries per page. Chunking should be used when it’s important for a reader to retain specific information, for example a short list of key benefits, or contact information. Most people can retain these smaller groups of information over a string of digits or letters which where not chunked into groups. Furthermore, when readers are presented with a list of easier, more common words, they tend to retain them easier than over a more difficult vocabulary list; which is good to note when selling technical products to a non-techie.

When it comes to design, the graphic designer needs to use chunking, not to simplify the design, but to help the reader retain the vital information in order to get them to react to the offer either by calling for more information or by making a purchase.

Let’s take a look at the fictitious company, Aroma Beans and the sales flier below. Our client is a major importer of coffee beans and is trying to set-up distributors in a specific market. A sales flier was designed to inform the potential distributors about Aroma Beans as well as distribute information about upcoming sales seminars. While the design is simplified, the designer makes good use of chunking to help the reader retain the three important areas of information; key benefits, seminar dates, and contact details.

The client wants to stress the key benefits of Aroma Beans in order to interest the reader in the product and to attend one of the information seminars. Here (A) the graphic designer has displayed, in a list (or chunk), the key benefits of the coffee beans. It’s quick and easy so the reader does not have to spend a lot of time remembering key benefits. If they wish, they can read, in detail, the benefits below the “chunked” list. The words are simple to recall and there are only four grouped words.

Next, (B) the designer wants the reader to remember the seminar city, date, and location. Keep in mind that chunking should not be used in lists that are to be scanned by the reader. However, once the reader has found the seminar city they would like to attend in, chunking comes into play as the information is broken down into a string of three elements or “chunks;” the city, date, and location. The reader can then easily recall the information.

Finally, (C), the designer has provided the necessary contact information in a way that is easily recalled by the reader, including the phone number, fax, email and web address. The contact group as a whole would not be considered a chunk, however, each individual string of data, like the phone number, would be considered the “chunked” information.

In conclusion, chunking is a psychological term used to string a series of numbers or words in groups of 7 (plus/minus 2) in order to increase reader memory or retention. While chunking is a good way to get readers to retain important information, it should not be used for the sole purpose of streamlining or simplifying a designed marketing piece. In addition, chunking information should not be used where information is to be scanned by the reader, but where the information is critical to commit to short-term memory. If used properly, chunking information in your marketing material may increase customer response rate.