Chunking means breaking up content into units (chunks) that are easy to understand and remember. Judicious chunking makes web interfaces perform better every sense. Chunked content is...
- Easier to read
- Easier to understand
- Easier to remember
- More visually appealing
Bad chunking can feel overwhelming. This example uses long paragraphs and very little formatting, so the overall impression is dense and hard to read:
In contrast, this example breaks things into concise chunks with very distinct headings and short paragraphs:
Your chunking strategy should be based on your user's needs and comfort level. To level up your chunking:
- Have a look at the Nielsen-Norman Group's excellent article on chunking. The article provides best practices and describes how different design choices can communicate chunks. This is a great place to start.
- Review leading websites in your field, or in similar domains. How do comparable sites manage chunking? You might notice that chunk size varies based on the audience, the content, and the circumstances where people visit the site.
- Use plain language. Short, simple sentences help you build clear, concise chunks.
- Conduct user testing. User feedback is the best way to validate your chunking strategy. Adjectives like "dense" or "overwhelming" can indicate your chunks are too big or badly formatted.