Cognitive Load Visualizer

Analyzes data-heavy dashboards and visualizes cognitive load using structural and interaction metrics.

Cognitive Load Visualizer helps designers, developers, and researchers understand how mentally demanding a webpage is. It analyzes any website in real time and generates a cognitive-load score based on visual complexity, interaction density, and layout structure. By highlighting the areas that require the most mental effort, the extension makes it easier to find usability issues before they frustrate end-users. 🌟 Key Features • Instant Cognitive Load Score Get a clear, science-backed score (0–100) indicating how mentally demanding a page is. • Real-time UI Complexity Analysis Automatically examines DOM depth, layout structure, and interactive element density. • Heatmap Overlay Visual overlays highlight high-load regions so you can spot problem areas at a glance. • CLT-based Evaluation Uses principles from Cognitive Load Theory, visual search research, and working memory limitations. • One-Click Re-Analysis Quickly evaluate UI changes during design iterations or code updates. • Privacy-Preserving All analysis happens locally in your browser. No data is sent or stored externally. 🧠 Why This Matters Cognitive overload is one of the most common causes of user frustration. When a page is too visually dense or requires too much mental effort to navigate, users make mistakes, feel slow, and abandon tasks. This extension helps you identify: • confusing layouts • cluttered interfaces • unnecessary interaction complexity • visual overload • poor hierarchy or grouping • split-attention effects It’s especially useful for: • UX designers • Web developers • Product teams • Accessibility reviewers • Researchers and students studying human–computer interaction 🛠 How It Works 1. Open any webpage 2. Click the extension icon 3. Instantly see the cognitive load score + key metrics 4. Optionally view a heatmap overlay 5. Use “Re-analyze” to evaluate new layouts or redesigns The extension evaluates: • DOM hierarchy depth • Number and density of interactive elements • Layout fragmentation • Visual grouping • Attention-switching demands 🔒 Privacy This extension does not collect, transmit, or store any personal data. All processing happens entirely on your device.