Consider the journey: an alumnus reads your appeal, feels motivated to give, and then faces a form that looks like a tax return. The ‘cognitive friction’ at this crucial moment could be the barrier that stops them from donating.
The research
Cognitive Load Theory, developed by educational psychologist John Sweller in the 1980s, reveals why complex forms can fail. The theory says we need to pay close attention to how much information our working memory can handle. Our brains can only process limited information at once before becoming overwhelmed and finding any excuse not to perform the task.
This principle has been shown to be crucial in the design of donation forms. Research by NextAfter found that by simplifying and refining the form design, you can reduce the ‘cognitive friction’, which led to a 39% increase in donation conversion.
What it means for school development teams
Every field, instruction and graphic on your donation form competes for your donor’s mental bandwidth. When people encounter a form that looks lengthy or complex, their brain automatically categorises the task as ‘effortful’ – triggering an unconscious desire to postpone or avoid it entirely.
The solution isn’t just about making forms shorter, but about managing the perception of complexity. Visual design matters as much as the number of fields in a form. Forms need to be designed so that they are not perceived as ‘high effort’ by potential donors.
The bottom line
Your donation form isn’t just a functional tool – it’s either a psychological barrier, or an aid to increasing donations. The difference between a successful campaign and a disappointing one could be as simple as reducing mental friction at the moment of giving.
